transhumanism experts

Allen Leigh is a veteran software engineer, electrical engineer, and author whose work seeks to harmonize the rigors of technical science with the principles of Latter-day Saint theology. With a professional career spanning forty-four years in the software industry and a background in electrical engineering, Leigh brings a pragmatic, systems-based perspective to religious inquiry, focusing on the structural mechanics of creation and eternity. Leigh’s intellectual contributions are best encapsulated in his book, One Mormon’s View of the Science-Religion Debate and the Quest for Eternity . In this text, he navigates the often-contentious boundary between empirical evidence and spiritual belief, arguing that the two disciplines are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary frameworks for understanding the universe. His work suggests that the perceived rift between science and religion often stems from a misunderstanding of the methodologies inherent to both. A key figure in discussions on Mormon Transhumanism, Leigh has applied his technical expertise to theological cosmology. His presentation at the MTAConf 2009 entitled “God, the Perfect Engineer” focused on the concept of “engineering design cycles”—the iterative processes used to plan, build, test, and refine complex systems. Leigh proposed a model in which God functions as a Master Engineer, utilizing similar design cycles in the creation of the earth. This framework raises profound questions regarding the nature of divine omnipotence and the practical realities of creation. By drawing parallels to earthly engineering projects—which are subject to constraints, iterations, and the risk of failure—Leigh investigates whether the creation of the earth followed a similar, non-linear path. He challenges his audience to consider if a divine creation project could, in theory, fail, and what the implications of such a failure would be for our understanding of God’s plan. Through this lens, Leigh encourages a view of the cosmos that appreciates the intricate, perhaps even experimental, nature of existence.

Brent Allsop is an American technologist and transhumanist activist who founded Canonizer, a collaborative wikisurvey platform for building consensus. He has been active in the transhumanist community for decades, advocating for life extension.

Carl Teichrib is a Canadian-based researcher, writer, and communicator focusing on historical and contemporary worldview shifts. His work examines political and economic globalization and socio-religious trends, often from a Christian perspective. He is known for his in-depth analysis of the structures of transformation taking place in society. Teichrib is the editor of Forcing Change , a monthly publication dedicated to documenting and analyzing these transformations. He is a frequent guest on radio talk shows, and his research has been utilized by other researchers, authors, and commentators. Embracing an evangelical conservative Christian worldview, Teichrib is pro-liberty (opposed to politically imposed equality), pro-individualism (opposed to consensus collectivism), and pro-free market voluntary exchange. At the MTAConf 2013, he presented a Christian critique of Christian transhumanism, exploring the core tensions between these perspectives.

Charles William Penrose (1832–1925) was a British-born Latter-day Saint leader, journalist, hymn writer, and theologian who served as a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles and later as First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Born in Camberwell, London, England, on February 4, 1832, Penrose was reportedly reading the Bible by age four. He converted to the LDS Church at eighteen, being baptized on May 14, 1850—a decision that cost him his relationship with his widowed mother, who disowned him for joining the faith. Penrose’s missionary service in Britain exceeded that of any other Latter-day Saint missionary, totaling over seventeen years. During his first decade-long mission, he wrote the beloved hymn “O Ye Mountains High” and authored “Rays of Living Light,” a series of missionary tracts used widely for nearly a century. In 1861, he finally emigrated to Utah with his wife Lucetta Stratford and their three children, crossing the plains by ox team to settle in Farmington, where he worked as a farmer, log hauler, and schoolteacher. Settling later in Ogden on the advice of Franklin D. Richards, Penrose entered journalism, publishing the Ogden Junction . In 1877, he became assistant editor of the church-owned Deseret News under George Q. Cannon, eventually serving as editor from 1898. His intellectual contributions extended to academia as professor of theology at Brigham Young Academy (1897–1899, 1901–1902) and as a founding director of the Genealogical Society of Utah in 1894. Ordained an apostle on July 7, 1904, Penrose served as president of the European Mission (1906–1910) before being called as Second Counselor to President Joseph F. Smith in 1911. Following Smith’s death, he continued as Second Counselor to Heber J. Grant and was elevated to First Counselor in 1921 after the death of Anthon H. Lund. His contributions to Utah statehood earned him recognition as one of its key architects. Penrose’s theological writings and sermons explored themes of eternal progression, human potential, and the relationship between faith and reason—ideas that resonate with transhumanist thought. His vision of humanity’s divine destiny and capacity for endless improvement reflected the optimistic theology of early Latter-day Saint leaders. He died in Salt Lake City on May 16, 1925, leaving a legacy as one of the most prolific missionaries, influential editors, and beloved hymn writers in LDS history.

Chelsea Shields is a biocultural anthropologist, TED Fellow, and researcher whose work explores the evolutionary foundations of religious belief and the physiological power of social connection. Raised in a Latter-day Saint family in Utah, she went on to earn dual PhDs in biological and cultural anthropology from Boston University in 2017. Shields’ academic research focuses on the concept of social susceptibility—how human bodies have evolved to be deeply responsive to social interaction and meaning-making. Over the course of a decade, she conducted extensive fieldwork with Asante indigenous healers in central Ghana, studying the evolution and elicitation of placebo and nocebo effects in ritual healing ceremonies. Her dissertation, “The Social Life of Placebos,” argues that grounding human behavior in social adaptations reveals important discoveries across placebo studies, religion, pain, stress, and empathy. She presented at the 2014 Conference of the Mormon Transhumanist Association on the evolutionary psychology of religion, examining how religious belief functions as a powerful biocultural force—shaping neural development, social bonding, and coping mechanisms—and how understanding these processes is essential for anyone thinking seriously about the future of the human brain and body. Shields is a three-time TED speaker, an advocate for gender equality within religious communities, and founder of Brandthropologie Agency, where she applies her research in social susceptibility and nonverbal communication to brand strategy and consumer research. She lives in Salt Lake City with her family.