Call for papers - Transhumanism?
Online journal Re-public invites contributions for its upcoming special issue entitled "Transhumanism?". Is there a new challenge about to dominate our world? A challenge that appears more pressing than the fight against climate change, as demanding as the one against "terrorism" or poverty, more complex than our current questions around bioethics.
This is a question formed in the last 20 years by an international movement, deriving from a scientific current, advocating that if the human is a result of an evolution process of millions of years time, nothing rationally preempts its conclusion. On the contrary, transhumanism proposes that the convergence of nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, information and cognitive sciences provide us with a new opportunity, as well as, the responsibility to collectively participate and assume this evolution: it is, more than ever, possible to "form a better humanity" meaning better health for individuals, longer life expectancy, a more effective control of themselves, through enhanced skills, capacities and capabilities.
Where does H+ stand today in theoretical and political terms?
What kind of humanity do we wish for?
Can we move beyond the dillema between a uniformed or a diverse humanity?
Where are the new limits between prevention and personal freedom (eg. to own or dispose our body)?
Which are the formal or informal political practices that can guide the enhancement of human capacities? What is the relationship between H+ et bio-politics?
Where do we meet these practices, today, how are they being formed? What can we learn from them?
These are some of the questions that touch upon the most sensible aspects of our identity, values, beliefs, questions that can not be abandoned to the decisions of the scientific community, but that they should form the terrain for a public debate on a global scale.
Essays should be approximately 1,500 words long.
Humanity+ (WTA) Board members set policy goals and oversee their implementation, contributing with their experience and expertise to the WTA's work. We've got a very full agenda for the coming year, setting up our new website, revising the Transhumanist Declaration, fundraising, building our network of chapters and student groups, and publishing our new H+ magazine.
Please think about contributing your talents and energy for our projects. Five Humanity+ (WTA) Board members' terms expire in January and two others are leaving the Board to pursue exciting new projects. Running for a board post, as well as voting in the election, is open to all dues-paid ("supporting" or "sustaining") members of the association.
All voting members in good standing as of Saturday January 10th, 2009 are eligible to run in and vote in the Board election. Board members must be and remain voting members in good standing in order to run and serve.
The Board meets and votes virtually, so no travel is required, although Internet access is essential.
The term of service is two years, Jan 20, 2009 - Jan 20, 2011, for the five open positions, which will be filled by the five candidates with the most votes. The two candidates with the next most votes will fill the two one year replacement positions (Jan 20, 2009 - Jan 20, 2010).
The period for self-nominations closes Saturday January 10th, 2009 at noon GST.
Candidate statements will be posted on January 11th, 2009.
Please send your candidate statements to H+ (WTA) Secretary J. Hughes at secretary@transhumanism.org.
All voting members of the Mormon Transhumanist Association are voting members of H+ (WTA).
Experience with organizational management and fundraising, and an understanding of and commitment to transhumanism, are essential.
Location is irrelevant as the candidate will be expected to telework.
Fluency in English is essential, with other world languages a plus. (S)he is expected to have strong communication skills.
The position is currently voluntary. However, there are prospects that fundraising will enable some level of compensation in the coming year.
Applications will be accepted until December 19, 2008. A final decision will be made by December 30, 2008, and the position will begin January 1, 2009.
Candidates should submit a letter of interest detailing relevant experience and one's personal vision for the position to: secretary@transhumanism.org.
Andy West is stepping down from his position as a director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. On behalf of the association, I'd like to thank Andy for his service on the board of directors. Andy is a founding member of the association, was one of the original directors, and organized our monthly roundtable discussions in Salt Lake City. Although we will miss his participation on the board of directors, Andy plans to continue his support for and contributions to the purpose of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. Thank you, Andy!
The Mormon Transhumanist Association will be hosting the next in their series of monthly round table discussions on 18 October 2008. Subsequent discussions will be held on the third Saturday of each month. October's discussion will be focused on Krista Tippets' "Speaking of Faith" podcast entitled "Quarks and Creation" an interview with John Polkinghorne. The podcast can be downloaded here. Andrew West, Director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, will moderate the discussion. The event will be held in the conference hall of the Arnell-West building located at 3441 S 2200 W, Salt Lake City, Utah, just southeast of the E-Center. The discussion will begin at 7:00 PM Mountain Time. Light refreshments will be served.
The Mormon Transhumanist Association will sponsor a presentation of "The New God Argument" at the Sunstone Symposium on Saturday 9 August 8:45AM at the Sheraton Hotel in Salt Lake City.
In this session, we will present The New God Argument. Most philosophical arguments for God's existence have been aimed at justifying traditional Christian theology. However, Mormon theology, particularly as advocated by Joseph Smith near the end of his life, diverges from tradition to posit emergent gods that organize worlds from existing matter according to existing laws. Aiming at justifying Mormon theology, we have formulated a new argument for God's existence. The argument is based on assumptions widely shared among both secular and religious persons, is consistent with modern science and technological trends, and concludes that we should trust that our world probably is created by advanced life forms more benevolent than we are. We invite philosophers, theologians, scientists, technologists, and anyone interested in such matters to come with your most critical eyes and ears. We are very interested in feedback, and a good portion of this session will be devoted to questions and criticisms.