Conference Introduction
Lincoln Cannon opens the 2012 MTA conference by articulating its core purpose: bringing together two things many consider diametrically opposed—science and religion, technology and spirituality. He contends that these domains are not merely compatible but mutually reinforcing, made for each other in their best manifestations. Drawing on Doctrine and Covenants 88's exhortation to seek learning “by study and also by faith,” Cannon frames the conference as a modern continuation of Joseph Smith's School of the Prophets, combining wisdom and inspiration to explore what it means to be human.
Lincoln Cannon is an American philosopher and technologist who co-founded the Mormon Transhumanist Association in 2006, serving as its president from 2006 to 2016. He is a leading advocate of technological evolution and postsecular religion, combining software engineering expertise with degrees in philosophy and business. ¶ Cannon is also a founder and board member of the Christian Transhumanist Association. He formulated the New God Argument, a logical argument for faith in God that has become popular among religious transhumanists. His academic work includes “Mormonism Mandates Transhumanism” published in Religion and Human Enhancement: Death, Values, and Morality (Palgrave Macmillan, 2017) and “Transfigurism: A Future of Religion as Exemplified by Religious Transhumanists” published in The Transhumanism Handbook (Springer Verlag, 2019). ¶ Mormon transhumanism, as articulated by Cannon, holds that humanity should learn how to be compassionate creators. This idea is central to the Mormon theological tradition, which provides a religious framework consistent with naturalism and supportive of human transformation. Cannon’s work bridges religious faith with scientific advancement, advocating for the ethical use of technology to extend human abilities in ways consistent with a religious worldview.
Transcript
Lincoln Cannon
All right, welcome everyone to the 2012 conference of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. It’s a pleasure to be here with all of you.
Lincoln Cannon
This morning, as I was driving in to the conference with a friend, Leonard Real, who’s here visiting with us from Canada, like several others Of you here. He traveled a long way to be with us. We were discussing what the purpose of this conference is, and one of the things that he said right away was the thing that was already on my mind.
Lincoln Cannon
And that is that the purpose of this conference is to bring together two things that are in many persons’ minds very opposed to each other. And those things are science and religion, or perhaps technology and spirituality. People see these things, unfortunately, as being diametrically opposed to each other.
Lincoln Cannon
And what the Mormon Transhumanist Association is about, and what this conference today is about, is about bringing together these things that so many people think are opposed. and showing that not only are they compatible, but they actually build each other up, that they are made for each other even, that spirituality and technology require each other. that science and religion require each other to be in their best manifestation, they’re made, they’re good for each other. That’s what we’re talking about today.
Lincoln Cannon
150 years ago, more than 150 years ago, Joseph Smith was organizing what he called the School of the Prophets. And in Doctrine and Covenants 88, we read some of the words he wrote when talking about the organization of the school of the prophets. There we read, Therefore, verily I say unto you, my friends, call your solemn assembly, as I have commanded you. And as all have not faith, seek ye diligently and teach one another words of wisdom. Yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom. Seek learning even by study and also by faith.
Speaker 2
Today we are bringing together both study and faith, both wisdom and inspiration. That’s what the Mormon Transhumanist Association is about. And that’s what all of us will be speaking about today.