Mormon Transhumanist Association News

Name of the Mormon Transhumanist Association

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Hadfield) — Tue, 11 Dec 2018 21:08:00 +0000

The Mormon Transhumanist Association has released the following official statement, in accordance with Article IV Section 9 of its Constitution by unanimous vote of its Board of Directors.

10 December 2018

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Church of Jesus Christ) has asked its members and friends not to use the words “Mormon” or “Mormonism” when referring to it, its members, or its unique culture. The Mormon Transhumanist Association acknowledges and will adhere to that request. The Association also encourages its members and friends to respect and adhere to such requests from organizations and individuals generally.

Although the Mormon Transhumanist Association is not affiliated with the Church of Jesus Christ or any other religious organization (see “Official Statements and Religious Affiliations of the Mormon Transhumanist Association,” 22 September 2018), many Association members are also members of the Church of Jesus Christ. And some have wondered if the Association would change its name. The Association operates in accordance with a constitution that specifies the official name of the Association. Unless voting members of the Association amend its constitution, the name of the Association does not change.

The Mormon Transhumanist Association reveres the name and teachings of Jesus Christ. All members of the Association support the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation, which states as its first principle: “We are disciples of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, which is to trust in, change toward, and fully immerse our bodies and minds in the role of Christ, to become compassionate creators as exemplified and invited by Jesus.”

Although some used “Mormon” as a derogatory label for his followers, the prophet Joseph Smith embraced it as a way of emphasizing what was distinctive in the faith he founded. While the name “Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints” functions well to emphasize what that faith shares with other Christians — Jesus Christ — the name “Mormonism” serves to emphasize what is distinctive in that faith. Joseph Smith associated “Mormonism” with certain “grand fundamental principles.” And he encouraged his followers to be “true Mormons.” On one occasion, he stated, “Friendship is one of the grand fundamental principle of ‘Mormonism.’ … We should gather all the good and true principles in the world and treasure them up, or we shall not come out true ‘Mormons’” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, compiled by Joseph Fielding Smith (Salt Lake City: Deseret News Press, 1938), 316). And on another occasion, he stated, “One of the grand fundamental principles of ‘Mormonism’ is to receive truth, let it come from whence it may” (Teachings, 313).

Like Joseph Smith, the Mormon Transhumanist Association holds the words “Mormon” and “Mormonism” in high esteem and uses those terms to emphasize what is distinctive in the Latter Day Saint tradition. As its final principle, the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation states the grand fundamental principles of Mormonism and associates them with Christian discipleship: “We practice our discipleship when we offer friendship, that all may be many in one; when we receive truth, let it come from whence it may; and when we send relief, consolation and healing, that raises each other together.”

The Mormon Transhumanist Association recommends use of “Mormonism” or “Latter Day Saint tradition” when referring to the broad culture that includes the Association, other non-ecclesiastical institutions such as the Mormon History Association, and ecclesiastical institutions such as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Community of Christ, The Church of Jesus Christ (Bickertonite), Church of Jesus Christ with the Elijah Message, Apostolic United Brethren, and Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. And the Association recommends use of “Mormon” or “Latter Day Saint” when referring to persons-in-general who identify with that broad culture. The Association defers to the preferences of each institution when referring to its unique culture and members.

When referring to the Mormon Transhumanist Association, please use the full name of the Association in the first reference. In subsequent references, please use the term “Association” or the abbreviation “MTA.” Please use “Mormon Transhumanism” when referring to the culture of the Association. And please use “Mormon Transhumanist” when referring to persons-in-general who identify with that culture. Members of the Association come from diverse backgrounds, Mormon and Transhumanist and otherwise. They may or may not apply the labels “Mormon,” “Transhumanist,” or “Mormon Transhumanist” to themselves individually.

Utah Valley Meetup on Future Ecosystems

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 09 Nov 2018 15:43:00 +0000

Come join us at our Mormon Transhumanist Association Utah Valley Meetup this coming Sunday (November 11th) at 8:00pm to discuss topics associated to Mormonism and Transhumanism (details can be found in the Meetup group).

In this meetup, we will have a discussion about new improvements in human capability to make future horizons possible. Specifically, humanity is taking its first steps to space and creating new opportunities to live, work, and love. To achieve this, we must bring whole ecosystems with us to build new earths. We will discuss specific research that focuses on steps in that direction with plants in orbit making use of artificial gravity and direct sunlight. These early steps provide valuable information for bioregenerative ecosystem development. Some samples of research in this area may be brought as well.

Also, if you are able, please bring snacks.

This event will be a great way to be introduced to the topic of religious transhumanism, meet guests and members from the Mormon Transhumanist Association, and engage in discussion with a diverse group.

Please RSVP using the links provided here. We hope to see you there!

2018 Fall Social

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Hadfield) — Mon, 17 Sep 2018 05:22:00 +0000

Who: MTA Members, their family, children, and friends. Bring a friend to introduce to the MTA.

What: A fun afternoon of food & socializing hosted by the MTA. Catered lunch by Mo' Bettahs!

When: Sat, Sept 22, 12:30 – 2:30 PM (we can linger up to 4 PM)

Where: Vivian Park @ East Pavilion 1 (as you exit US Highway 189 and cross over the Provo River, take the first left where you will find parking and park area 1)

Utah Valley Meetup on Future Shock and Transgenderism

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 04:59:00 +0000

Come join us at our Mormon Transhumanist Association Utah Valley Meetup this coming Sunday September 9th at 8:00pm to discuss topics associated to Mormonism and Transhumanism (details can be found in the Meetup group).

In this Meetup, Blaire Ostler will be leading a discussion about future shock and transgenderism. More specifically, how society's feelings and reactions to transgender body modifications are an interesting measurement and marking point for how society will react to other coming transhuman body modifications.

This event will be a great way to be introduced to the topic of religious transhumanism, meet guests and members from the Mormon Transhumanist Association, and engage in discussion with a diverse group.

Please RSVP using the links provided here. We hope to see you there!

New Ways to Donate!

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Hadfield) — Thu, 09 Aug 2018 15:48:00 +0000

The Mormon Transhumanist Association is pleased to announce additional, convenient methods of contributing to the organization. Beginning today, donations can be made using cryptocurrency. Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, and Etherium are accepted. To donate, go to https://transfigurism.org and select Contribute.

Additionally, the MTA is now registered as a non-profit organization with Amazon Smile. When you make your Amazon.com purchases with Amazon Smile, Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to the MTA. We invite you to bookmark https://transfigurism.org/amazon in your browser and select it whenever you go to Amazon.com!

For more information about ways to contribute to the MTA, please visit https://transfigurism.org/join#donate.

Register for the 2018 MTA Conference - Worlds Without Number

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Tue, 06 Mar 2018 16:36:00 +0000

The 2018 conference of the Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) will be held on Saturday 7 April 2018 from 9:00am to 9:00pm in Provo, Utah, at the Provo Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. The theme of the conference is “Worlds without Number” with a focus on the intersection of transhumanism, religion, and the numerous stories and narratives that humans have recounted to one another from their earliest beginnings.

Keynote speakers include Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye, a professor of Chinese history with published work on global Mormonism (particularly in China) and Elizabeth Parrish, CEO of BioViva: a biotech corporation targeting cellular aging that develops therapies to regenerate muscle and tissue. The conference will also feature Bryan Johnson, founder of Kernel, OS Fund, and Braintree.

We have many other wonderful speakers you won't want to miss! We hope you will be able to register and bring a guest. This is a great way to make your conference experience even better by sharing what inspires you about Mormon Transhumanism with a family member or a friend.

If you aren't already a member of the MTA, this is also a great time to consider becoming a voting member. As part of a voting membership, you would be entitled to complimentary admission to the conference and 50% off for a guest. The complimentary admission is a great way to offset a significant portion of the regular voting membership cost or the reduced voting membership cost for students, unemployed, retired, or residents of less-developed countries.

Register for the conference today. We look forward to seeing you there!

Keynote Speakers

Melissa Wei-Tsing Inouye is a professor of Chinese history at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. Her first book, China and the True Jesus, is forthcoming from Oxford University Press and tells the story of the True Jesus Church and charismatic Christian modes in China in the twentieth century. Her published research includes work on global Mormonism, particularly in greater China. Dr. Inouye has taught Chinese history and Asian history at California State University Los Angeles and Loyola Marymount University, and American religious history at the University of Hong Kong. In addition to her academic work, Inouye has written numerous essays on Mormonism and her lived experience as a Mormon woman in the twenty-first century.

Elizabeth Parrish is CEO of BioViva, a biotech corporation targeting cellular aging that develops therapies to regenerate muscle and tissue. BioViva believes everyone deserves access to these life saving therapies. Elizabeth is a humanitarian, entrepreneur, innovator, and a leading voice for genetic cures. As a strong proponent of progress and education for the advancement of regenerative medicine modalities, she serves as a motivational speaker to the public at large for the life sciences. She is actively involved in international educational media outreach and is a founding member of the International Longevity Alliance (ILA). She is an affiliated member of the Complex Biological Systems Alliance (CBSA), which is a unique platform for Mensa based, highly gifted persons who advance scientific discourse and discovery. The mission of the CBSA is to further scientific understanding of biological complexity and the nature and origins of human disease. She is the founder of BioTrove Investments LLC and the BioTrove Podcasts which is committed to offering a meaningful way for people to learn about and fund research in regenerative medicine.

Special Guest Speakers

Bryan Johnson is the founder of Kernel, OS Fund, and Braintree. He founded Kernel in 2016, investing $100M of his personal capital to build advanced neural interfaces to treat disease and dysfunction, illuminate the mechanisms of intelligence, and extend cognition. In 2014, Bryan invested $100M to start OS Fund to support inventors and scientists who aim to benefit humanity by rewriting the operating systems of life. His OS Fund investments include endeavors to cure age-related diseases and radically extend healthy human life to 100+, make biology a predictable programming language, digitize analog businesses, replicate the human visual cortex using artificial intelligence, expand humanity’s access to resources, reinvent transportation using autonomous vehicles, and reimagine food using biology, among others. In 2007, Bryan founded Braintree, an online and mobile payments provider. In 2012, Braintree acquired Venmo. Bryan and his team worked tirelessly to build an exceptional company—one that they loved, and one that was worthy of frequent love letters from its customers. In 2013, Braintree was acquired by PayPal for $800M. Bryan is an outdoor-adventure enthusiast (mountains, volcanoes, arctic dog sledding), pilot and author of a children's book, Code 7.

Michaelann Bradley to serve as Mormon Transhumanist Association CEO

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 12 Jan 2018 15:12:00 +0000

Effective immediately, Blaire Ostler will step down as Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA) CEO. She will continue to serve on the MTA’s Board of Directors. During Blaire’s leadership as CEO the MTA achieved many milestones:

We held our first ever MTA Semi-Annual Social with 93 attendees
We ran our highest ever attended Annual Conference with over 100 attendees
We initiated the MTA Primers as an introductory study guide to Mormon Transhumanism
We organized three MTA Chapters in the U.S. with local Meetups and service projects
We reached our highest ever voting membership at 51 members
We grew to our highest ever membership with over 728 total members with 96 new members in 2017

The MTA leadership and board of directors thank Blaire for her leadership and look forward to her positive influence with her continued association.

Michaelann Bradley

Michaelann Bradley has accepted an offer from the MTA board of directors to serve as the new CEO. Michaelann Bradley is a nonprofit advocate and community organizer. She fell in love with the Mormon Transhumanist Association in 2013, while also falling in love with her husband and long-time MTA supporter Don Bradley. She has been actively involved ever since, including speaking at four conferences. In her professional life, she is currently the director of United Way's mental health initiatives. In other roles, she has been a fundraiser, marketing director, board chair, event planner, and social media strategist.

Speaking about her appointment, Michaelann said:

"I can't thank the preceding management team enough for all the groundwork they've laid. The conference gets better every year, and if you haven't seen the newest version of the website and content, I hope you'll check it out soon. I look forward to continue carrying the torch. The MTA means so much to me personally. My relationship to God and to my future posterity has been forever transformed because of the MTA; I've found renewed purpose and inspiration in my life's work. I am extremely excited for the opportunity to lead such a phenomenal organization."

We invite the general MTA membership and MTA friends and colleagues to thank Blaire for her leadership and welcome Michaelann in her new role as we look forward to her guidance and leadership in the association.

2018 Annual Conference: Call for Papers

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Hadfield) — Wed, 10 Jan 2018 15:03:00 +0000

The Mormon Transhumanist Association is pleased to announce that this year's annual conference will take place on Saturday, 7 April 2018, in Provo, Utah. A conference venue will be announced shortly.

The theme of the conference is “Worlds without Number.” As one of few post-enlightenment religions, Mormonism emerged in a context of exploding human awareness of the surrounding universe, and its canon reflects this. "Worlds without number have I created," wrote Joseph Smith in a revelation on the creation, ". . . and the inhabitants thereof are begotten sons and daughters unto God" (Moses 1:33, D&C 76:24).

These worlds are reflected not only in the night sky, but also in numerous stories and narratives that humans have recounted to one another from their earliest beginnings. Keenly aware of their own vulnerability and solitude in an ever-expanding universe, they have pondered on the nature of their existence and their relationship to beings both lesser and greater than themselves, adjusting these theologies as they gained greater awareness. Humanity has constantly looked beyond, imagining novel ways of interacting with its environment, new possibilities of being, and summoning its creative powers to articulate these visions in compelling ways.

What stories are we now telling, and what do they say about how we view ourselves and our place in the universe? What stories will we tell, and how will they shape our environment, our future, and the nature of our existence, for good or ill? What stories is it possible to tell, and what innumerable worlds will emerge from them?

PAPER SUBMISSION

We invite you to submit papers for the conference. The aim of this conference is to address the many issues and topics that lie at the intersection of technology and religion, and their impacts on society, and culture including art, music, entertainment, and on society in general. Contributions need not focus only on specifically Mormon religious issues. Papers should be approximately two to seven pages in length and should include full citations, references, footnotes, etc. Presenters are encouraged to make use of multimedia aids, such as slides, to make their presentations more engaging. Potential conference topics include:

Philosophy, Theology and the Sociology of Religion: The secularization hypothesis and its implications for religion and religious organizations; post-secularization; ethics; faith and rationality; religious anthropology; philosophy of religion; scriptural hermeneutics; demythologization; postmodern religion; religious naturalism; social anthropology of technology; sociology of technology; technology and spirituality; feminism and gender issues; technology and gender.

Transhumanism: Evolution and the great filter argument; Moore’s law, Kurzweil’s law and the technological singularity; the pace of technological change; evolution; the evolution of technology; simulation argument; solar energy; genome sequencing; synthetic biology; 3D printing; genetics and biotech; nanotech and molecular machines; robotics and artificial intelligence; substrate independent minds; mind uploading; consciousness; cultural impact of technology; coping with the pace of technological change; neuroscience.

Transfigurism: Human transcendence through ethical and technological advancement; religious transhumanism; rejecting fundamentalism; rejecting anti-religiosity; transfigurist science; transfigurist politics; transfigurist art; promoting benevolence; promoting creativity; engineering transfiguration; engineering resurrection; engineering renewal of this world; engineering worlds without end; the New God Argument.

Please send submissions in RTF, PDF, MS Word or Google Doc format to admin@transfigurism.org. Include author's full name, contact information, and title.

Some funding is available to reimburse portions of travel for presenters. Please indicate interest in being considered for travel support in the submission email.

For more information, visit the official website of the Mormon Transhumanist Association at transfigurism.org. Recordings of presentations from previous years are available on our YouTube channel.

Important dates

Conference Paper Submission Deadline: 19 February 2018
Presentation Invitation Notification Date: 26 February 2018
Conference Date: 7 April 2018

Happy New Year!

noreply@blogger.com (admin) — Mon, 01 Jan 2018 16:53:00 +0000

Happy New Year!

2017 has been a fantastic year for the Mormon Transhumanist Association! I wanted to extend my gratitude for your friendship and participation in the Association. You have certainly impacted my life via conferences, socials, Google Hangouts, local Meetups, and social media. Thank you for being a part of it!

The MTA had great growth in 2017!

-We had our first ever MTA Semi-Annual Social with 93 attendees
-We had our highest ever attended Annual Conference with over 100 attendees
-We introduced the MTA Primers as an introductory study guide to Mormon Transhumanism
-We have 3 MTA Chapters in the U.S. with local Meetups and service projects
-We have our highest ever voting membership at 51 members
-We have our highest ever membership with over 728 total members and 96 new members in 2017

In December 2017 we had 18 new members making it the third highest month of growth in the history of the Association! Thank you for your participation and missionary efforts. The MTA flourishes because of you!

I’m confident that with your help and continued involvement, 2018 will be an even better year. We have a lot of great projects in the works and big plans for this year’s Annual Conference. We have an incredible management team working towards the actualization of the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation and Transhumanist Declaration. I can say from personal experience it is the membership's collective dedication and involvement that is the engine that makes this Association thrive. I look forward to sharing the journey with you. The MTA has changed my life, as I trust it has impacted yours. May we live forever!

Sincerely,

Blaire Ostler

CEO and Board Member

2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion

noreply@blogger.com (Nathan Hadfield) — Thu, 02 Nov 2017 16:23:00 +0000

The 2017 Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Religion (AAR) will be held November 18-21, 2017 in Boston, MA. While the Mormon Transhumanist Association will not be officially participating in the event, it is noteworthy that the meeting will have sessions related to transhumanism and human enhancement. We encourage all to consider attending.

Highlights include:

1. The question of human germline gene editing and its potential for human enhancement will be explored at a session on Friday, Nov 17, from 2:30 to 5:00. Speakers include MIT Professor Richard O. Hynes, who co-chairs a committee of the National Academy of Sciences charged with exploring the ethical and legal challenges of human germline modification, especially in light of CRISPR and other new gene editing technologies. Others on the panel include Laurie Zoloth, Dean of the Divinity School at the University of Chicago and 2014 Past President of the AAR. This event is open to the public without registration and will be held at the Sheraton Boston, Republic B (second level). This session is sponsored by the International Society for Science and Religion (ISSR). More details can be found at https://papers.aarweb.org/program_book?keys=CRISPR&field_session_slot_nid=All

2. The Human Enhancement and Transhumanism Unit of the AAR offers two events in 2017. On Saturday, Nov 18, the Unit offers a session on “Barbies, Bots, and Mere Mortals: Images of God?” The session runs from 1:00 to 3:30 in Sheraton Boston-Back Bay B (Second Level). For more, see https://papers.aarweb.org/program_book?keys=Barbies&field_session_slot_nid=All. Then on Monday, with the joint sponsorship of the Religion and Science Fiction Unit, a session entitled “Religion, Science Fiction, and Transhumanism” will be held in the Hynes Convention Center-202 (Second Level) from 1:00 to 3:30. See https://papers.aarweb.org/program_book?keys=gittinger&field_session_slot_nid=All.

3. A session on “Human Enhancement: Biological Frameworks and Cyborg Theologies,” under the sponsorship of the ISSR, will be held on Saturday, 4:00-5:30, in Fairmont Copley Place-State Suite A (Lower Lobby Level). This session features two authors and their new books, Harris Wiseman’s The Myth of the Moral Brain (2016) and Scott Midson’s Cyborg Theology: Humans, Technology and God (2017), with a response by Jennifer Thweatt. See https://papers.aarweb.org/program_book?keys=m18-306&field_session_slot_nid=All

SCHEDULE OVERVIEW:

Friday, 2:30-5:00, “CRISPR/Cas and Human Germline Gene Editing.” Sheraton Boston-Republic B (second level).

Saturday, 1:00-3:30, “Barbies, Bots, and Mere Mortals: Image of God?” Sheraton Boston-Back Bay B (second level).

Saturday, 4:00-5:30, “Human Enhancement: Biological Frameworks and Cyborg Theologies.” Fairmont Copley Place-State Suite A (Lower Lobby Level).

Monday, 1:00-3:30, “Religion, Science Fiction, and Transhumanism.” Hynes Convention Center-202.

Additional information about the 2017 Annual Meetings and the AAR can be found here.