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The Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies in the School of Religion at Claremont Graduate University is pleased to sponsor a conference on:
Parallels and Convergences: Mormon Thought and Engineering Vision
Location:
Claremont Graduate University, 150 E. 10th Street, Claremont, CA 91711
Important Dates:
Abstract deadline: 2008 December 1 (extended abstract)
Conference: 2009 March 7 (Saturday)
The Howard W Hunter Chair is interested in expanding the discussion of Latter-day Saint (LDS) perspectives on the attributes of God and the potential of man through a variety of innovative directions. One of the directions to be explored is whether there is a possible resonance between Mormon and engineering thought. The assumption is that according to LDS understanding, God is the architect of the Creation and the engineer of our bodies and spirits. Man, on the other hand, is believed to be capable of growing to become like God. The theological question is: where does engineering fit in the convergence of these two realms?
Details and Call for Papers can be found on http://www.mormonism-engineering.org
This conference is being organized under the direction of Howard W. Hunter Chair, Richard Bushman.
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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.
LINCOLN CANNON, M.B.A., founding member, director, and president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association; information technology specialist, primarily working in systems management
JOSEPH WEST JR., founding member, director, and secretary of the Mormon Transhumanist Association; begins graduate study in sociology this fall at the University of Arizona
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.
Session Sponsor—Mormon Transhumanist Association
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The technology division of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has announced a program whose purpose is to publicly and formally celebrate the technical achievements of those who are sharing their skills with the Church. They want to ensure that those individuals who use their technical talents as a tremendous expression of their faith are acknowledged and encouraged. Learn more and nominate someone who you think has made a significant contribution to the LDS technical community by visiting http://tech.lds.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=308&Itemid=5.
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The July edition of the Mormon Transhumanist Association's monthly roundtable discussion has been cancelled. The Mormon Transhumanist Association will be hosting the next in their
series of monthly round table discussions on 16 August 2008. Subsequent
discussions will be held on the third Saturday of each month. August's discussion will be focused on The WNYC Radiolab podcast entitled "Morality." 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.
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On July 20 Philippe Van Nedervelde, Executive Director of the European Foresight Institute and a Founding Member and Architect of the Order of Cosmic Engineers, will give a talk in Second Life on “Awaken The Universe—Introducing the Order of Cosmic Engineers” at the Terasem 4th Annual Workshop on Geoethical Nanotechnology.
The workshop will explore what geoethical management, if any, is appropriate for the nanotechnology necessary for cryonic revival and embodiment of downloaded cyber-consciousness.
Reconstitution of human consciousness through cryonic revival or downloading cyber-consciousness into bio-nano bodies and similar vessels comes with its technological issues and problems. In addition to these technological issues, there are legal and oversight concerns related to the use of these yet-to-be defined technologies. The level of management and oversight required for these technologies are the focus of these sessions.
This virtual workshop will be held July 20th on Terasem Island in Second Life, an on-line virtual community, beginning at 1:00 PM and concluding at 4:00 PM EST. All workshop proceedings are open to the public via real-time webcasting and are subsequently archived online for free public access. The public is invited to attend. Click here for the Second Life teleport location. In the picture above, the 4 statues representing the 4 NBIC convergence pillars and the golden infinity sign on the Terasem island.
Speakers: Doug Mulhall - What Happened to the Committee on Advances in Technology and the Prevention of the Application to Next Generation Bioterrorism and Biowarfare Threats?; Philippe Van Nedervelde - Awaken The Universe—Introducing the Order of Cosmic Engineers; Catherine Baldwin - Lawyers, Guns and Money: Lessons for Cryonics from the Military and Pharmaceutical Industrial Complexes in Technology Development and Distribution; Martine Rothblatt - Geoethics for Cryonic Revival Nanotech & BioNano Sleeves. Each workshop presentation will last 15-20 minutes followed by a 20 minute formal question and answer period during which questions from the worldwide audience will be addressed.
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The Mormon Transhumanist Association announces a monthly Transfigurism Meetup Online the second Wednesday of each month at 7PM Pacific Time in the virtual world of Second Life. Everyone is invited. If you're a member of the Mormon Transhumanist Association and would like to get to know other members, this is your chance. If you're not a member of the association and would just like to ask some questions, we'd be happy to help. Everyone is welcome. Bring a friend.
The Mormon Transhumanist Association also announces a monthly Transfigurism Roundtable Online the third Saturday of each month at 4PM Pacific Time in the virtual world of Second Life. Everyone is invited. Each month we will discuss an article or recording on a topic related to religion, science, spirituality and technology. Announcements will be made in advance of each session. Everyone, whether a member of the Mormon Transhumanist Association or not, is welcome. Bring a friend.
These and other online events of the Mormon Transhumanist Association will be held at our conference center in the Inspired Technologies space station in Second Life. Please note that the location of the space station has changed recently. The following URL (also linked from the Second Life logo at the bottom of the MTA web site) will take you to the new location:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Adam%20ondi%20Ahman/24/231/520
See you there!
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The Mormon Transhumanist Association will be hosting the next in their series of monthly round table discussions on 21 June 2008.
This month's discussion will be focused on "Ensoulment: Stem Cells, Human Cloning, and the Beginning of Life", an article by Rick Jepson featured in a recent addition of Sunstone Magazine. The article can be downloaded for free here. Optionally, you may also purchase an mp3 of a Sunstone presentation of the same topic given by Rick Jepson here.
Joseph 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.
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The Future of Religions/Religions of the Future is a two-day conference (4-5 June) examining how two of the 21st Century's driving forces, religion and technology, will continue to re-shape each other and, in the process, re-cast our understanding of "humanity" in the Third Millennium. Centered on, but not limited to, virtual worlds and social networking technologies, speakers and panelists will also examine changes precipitated by the biotechnology revolution, cognitive science, information technologies and robotics.
As part of the conference, Giulio Prisco, member of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, will present on "Transhumanist Religions" at 9:45AM Second Life time (Pacific Time) on Thursday, 5 June. Here is an abstract for Giulio's presentation:
"Description and analysis of new spiritual and 'religious' (brackets required) movements that can be broadly described as outlines of 'transhumanist religions' compatible with, and based on, the scientific worldview. Key issues: May sentient life evolve toward Godhead? May future technologies resurrect the dead? May we someday create VR universes that contain sentient life? May we _be_ sentient life in such a VR universe? Can complements or alternatives to traditional religions be based on these wild scientific speculations? What can be the impact of 'transhumanist religions' on traditional religions, culture, society and politics? And the most important question: Why should this matter to you?"
The conference will be held in the central nexus of the Transhumanist island, Extropia:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Extropia%20Core/128/128/25/?title=Extropia%20Core
For more information, see the announcement on the Extropia Core web site:
http://zones.extropiacore.net/religion/index.html
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The Future of Religions/Religions of the Future is a two-day conference (4-5 June) examining how two of the 21st Century's driving forces, religion and technology, will continue to re-shape each other and, in the process, re-cast our understanding of "humanity" in the Third Millennium. Centered on, but not limited to, virtual worlds and social networking technologies, speakers and panelists will also examine changes precipitated by the biotechnology revolution, cognitive science, information technologies and robotics.
As part of the conference, Lincoln Cannon, president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, will present on "Mormonism: A Religion of the Future" at 10:30AM Second Life time (Pacific Time) on Wednesday, 4 June. Here is an abstract for Lincoln's presentation:
"We should expect Mormonism to thrive amidst accelerating technological change in coming decades. Its relatively young and reproductive demographics, high cultural retention, emphasis on education, theological compatibility with science, moderate stances in bioethics, and persistent adoption of new technologies will be drivers. The views of Mormon Transhumanists may provide insight into the future of Mormonism."
The conference will be held in the central nexus of the Transhumanist island, Extropia:
http://slurl.com/secondlife/Extropia%20Core/128/128/25/?title=Extropia%20Core
For more information, see the announcement on the Extropia Core web site:
http://zones.extropiacore.net/religion/index.html
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The Mormon Transhumanist Association has established a presence in the virtual world of Second Life to facilitate interaction among its worldwide membership. The association's conference center is located in the dome of a space station orbiting above the Inspired Technologies office tower on the Mormon island of Adam ondi Ahman. Please visit any time, and look forward to announcements about association events in Second Life!
Inspired Technologies Office Tower on the Mormon Island of Adam ondi Ahman
Inspired Technologies Space Station Orbiting above the Office Tower
The Inspired Technologies office tower and space station are owned and programmed by Garren Barkley (Second Life name). Thank you, Garren!
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