Catholic Transhumanism Conference

[Arosophos]

Hi Ed. The purpose of Transhumanism is not merely to cheer for emerging technology, but rather to plan for and advocate ways of pursuing opportunities and mitigating risks such as the one you’ve identified. While we may prove incapable of preventing a merely militarized future, we certainly will prove incapable if we make little or no effort.

 

[edwest2]

Hi Ed. The purpose of Transhumanism is not merely to cheer for emerging technology, but rather to plan for and advocate ways of pursuing opportunities and mitigating risks such as the one you’ve identified. While we may prove incapable of preventing a merely militarized future, we certainly will prove incapable if we make little or no effort.

What kind of effort do you suggest?

Peace,
Ed

 

[Arosophos]

What kind of effort do you suggest?

For example, to prevent excessive militarization in the US, we might work through normal political channels to allocate a greater portion of our resources toward non-military applications of technology. While I share a religion with Romney, I intend to vote for Obama in part because I’m persuaded that Romney would allocate a greater portion of our resources toward military applications of technology.

Beyond that, there are innumerable actions we might take to influence others’ thoughts, and consequently their actions toward developing a better rather than a worse world. This particular point doesn’t seem to be at all controversial, except perhaps among unusually apathetic or cynical circles. We can act, and perhaps we can make a positive difference. We certainly won’t if we don’t act, which merely concedes difference-making to those who will.

Transhumanism is basically the position that accelerating technological change will continue to change humanity whether we act with foresight or not, so we’re better off doing our best to plan for and mitigate the risks and pursue the opportunities. Certainly some Transhumanists express more concern for the risks and ethics of change than do others, but we have in common an optimism that change can be for the better.

 

[edwest2]

I suggest you visit sciencedaily.com for a look at the breakthroughs, and at the bottom of the article, notice who is funding all this practical research. It often includes a group identified as ARPA but their correct designation is DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. They created the internet as ARPAnet, a secure means for scientists to share knowledge and data quickly. For some reason, the internet was later let loose into the wild.

My last post about the way the military works was deleted, so I’ll make this last comment; look up the Invention Secrecy Act of 1951.

Peace,
Ed

 

[Arosophos]

Thanks, Ed. I’ll take a look.

 

[fpesce]

Can we start at the beginning? Let’s see:

** trans•hu•man•ism:**
“the belief or theory that the human race can evolve beyond its current physical and mental limitations, especially by means of science and technology”.

Is there anything in this definition that glorifies our Lord? The word “evolve” is the first hint. This is what atheist (anti-theist) dream about. They do not believe men were created by God, they believe we evolved. Man evolved from the “primordial soup”? God is nowhere in there.

Now we are going to evolve again. Though science and technology, not God! And we become better.

“Gentlemen, we can rebuild him. We have the technology. We have the capability to build the world’s first bionic man. … Better than he was before. Better, stronger, faster” (Six Million Dollar Man).

Sounds great,but straight from hell. I know, you think I’m going too far. Jumping to conclusions. In reality I’m not. For the goal of achieving transhumanism evolution is only a stepping stone to achieving “posthumanism”.

A posthuman is to become a “posthuman god”. The idea that posthumans, being no longer confined to the parameters of human nature, might grow physically and mentally so powerful as to appear possibly god-like by present-day human standards, in other words a ascended human.

First, through manipulating our DNA, mixing it with animals and machines. Then, like the nephilim of old, with fallen angels.

Genesis 6:1-13****The Corruption of Mankind
1Now it came about, when men began to multiply on the face of the land, and daughters were born to them, 2that the sons of God saw that the daughters of men were beautiful; and they took wives for themselves, whomever they chose. 3Then the LORD said, “My Spirit shall not strive with man forever, because he also is flesh; nevertheless his days shall be one hundred and twenty years.” 4The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward, when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown. 5Then the LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. 6The LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 7The LORD said, “I will blot out man whom I have created from the face of the land, from man to animals to creeping things and to birds of the sky; for I am sorry that I have made them.” 8But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD.
9These are the records of the generations of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless in his time; Noah walked with God. 10Noah became the father of three sons: Shem, Ham, and Japheth.
11** Now, the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, **and the earth was filled with violence. 12God looked on the earth, and behold, it was corrupt; for all flesh had corrupted their way upon the earth.
13Then God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before Me; for the earth is filled with violence because of them; and behold, I am about to destroy them with the earth.

In the last days according to the book of Daniel. They will try to corrupt man again.

Daniel 2:40-43

40“Then there will be a fourth kingdom as strong as iron; inasmuch as iron crushes and shatters all things, so, like iron that breaks in pieces, it will crush and break all these in pieces. 41“In that you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it will be a divided kingdom; but it will have in it the toughness of iron, inasmuch as you saw the iron mixed with common clay. 42“As the toes of the feet were partly of iron and partly of pottery, so some of the kingdom will be strong and part of it will be brittle. 43“And in that you saw the iron mixed with common clay, they will combine with one another in the seed of men; but they will not adhere to one another, even as iron does not combine with pottery.

 

[GSV4008]

Dear fpesce:

I thought this thread had faded away, but I take it you have some interest in searching the topic.

FYI, my current thoughts on the subject are included in a July 2013 presentation to the American Scientific Affiliation meeting in July. Bottom of the page at my name.

Best wishes!

David Winyard

 

[fpesce]

Dear fpesce:
FYI, my current thoughts on the subject are included in a July 2013 presentation to the American Scientific Affiliation meeting in July.
Best wishes!

David Winyard

David,
I agree with your conclusion:
“Christians must always proclaim that men find their ultimate salvation through Christ alone.”

I believe trans-humanism to post-humanism evolution will usher in the Man of Lawlessness in the end times. Who else would dare call himself a god but one such as this. Someone who thinks he has ascended through this type of transformation.

2 Thessalonians 2:1–13

Man of Lawlessness

  1Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, 2that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come. 3Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, 4who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God. 5Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things? 6And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. 7For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. 8Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; 9that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders, 10and with all the deception of wickedness for those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. 11For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, 12in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness.
  13But we should always give thanks to God for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God has chosen you from the beginning for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and faith in the truth.