Peter Higgs, the theoretical physicist who predicted the “Higgs Boson” particle found at CERN this year, and an obvious candidate for the next Nobel Prize in Physics, has spoken up against “militant atheist” fundamentalism. Continue reading Peter Higgs speaks up against ‘militant atheist’ fundamentalism
Monthly Archives: December 2012
Cosmic religions for space colonization
I recommend watching the one-hour film Knocking on Heaven’s Door, by George Carey, aired by the BBC in 2011, to all space enthusiasts interested in the history of the Russian space program and our future out there in the universe. The film zeroes in on the powerful role that religion can play in advancing radical scientific visions.
December 2012 Discussion Group of the Mormon Transhumanist Association
Yesterday I had the pleasure to participate in the December 2012 Discussion Group of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, via Google+ Hangouts. We had a lively discussion on quantum immortality, quantum suicide, and life in a Multiverse. Continue reading December 2012 Discussion Group of the Mormon Transhumanist Association
Uploaded minds to the stars
In my article “Uploaded e-crews for interstellar missions” on KurzweilAI, republished by io9 as “Why we should send uploaded astronauts on interstellar missions,” I make a modest proposal for cost-effective interstellar missions: to do without the wetware bodies of the crew, and send only their minds to the stars, their software, uploaded to advanced “computronium” circuitry, just like in Charlie Stross’ fictional Field Circus miniature starship.
When is Terasem? — All the time
This article by Dan Massey, originally appeared on Venus+X, continues a series of posts dedicated to a discussion of Terasem. Please read the “Truths of Terasem” (ToT) and join the discussion here and/or at Venus+X. Continue reading When is Terasem? — All the time
Slow progress of fast McSingularity? Or what?
“We will not become immortal cyborgs with superintelligent computer friends in the next twenty years,” writes Annalee Newitz on io9. “There is strong evidence that humans first began exploring the oceans by boat about 50 thousand years ago… What if our space probes and the Curiosity rover are the equivalent of those reed boats thousands of years ago? It’s worth pondering. We may be at the start of a long, slow journey whose climactic moment comes thousands of years from now.” My short answer: So what? Continue reading Slow progress of fast McSingularity? Or what?
Immortality, Quantum Archaeology and my Poo Collection
Humans want to survive. Religion is about getting “saved”, and the desire to be saved is basically an allegory on the urgency to want to live. Living isn’t always fun (ask Eugen) but over-all it beats being dead. The desire to live is innate to us as human beings, and many would want to do so even in stark and hostile conditions. Think about the sacrifices the Inuit make for survival. Think about the sheer perseverance of people in concentration camps. Many went on, no matter what hardship they endured. Continue reading Immortality, Quantum Archaeology and my Poo Collection
Ten Cosmicist Convictions, by Khannea Suntzu
Editor’s note: Khannea Suntzu has written a brilliant parody of the Ten Cosmist Convictions, titled “Ten Cosmicist Convictions.” For the non initiated, Cosmicism is the literary philosophy developed and used by the American writer H. P. Lovecraft in his weird fiction. While I urge Khannea to drink some hot chocolate (they say it improves mood), I am persuaded that our big universe contains things like angels but also things like Cthulhu. I prefer angels of course. Continue reading Ten Cosmicist Convictions, by Khannea Suntzu
The BIG Infinite Fractal Onion Universe
This is a continuation of my previous post on quantum consciousness (or not), also inspired by Ben Goertzel’s “AGI, Consciousness, Life, the Universe and Everything” on H+ Magazine. In a comment, I wrote: “I am often thinking of a meta-[Theory of Everything]ToE (actually an anti-ToE) that we may call “The [BIG] Infinite Fractal Onion Universe” or something like that.” Here are some thoughts on something like that.
Riverside Immortality Project
In July the John Templeton Foundation awarded a three-year, $5 million grant to John Martin Fischer, distinguished professor of philosophy at the University of California, Riverside, to study a wide range of issues related to immortality. The project plan, grants and essay prizes, are now online on The Immortality Project website. Continue reading Riverside Immortality Project