Mormon Transhumanist Association Library

Mormon Transhumanist Association Member Survey Results 2009

www.scribd.com — Sun, 10 Jan 2010 02:03:55 -0800

MTA Member Survey Results 2009 Contents MTA Member Survey Results 2009 ...................................................... 1 Contents ........................................................................................... 1 Membership....................................................................................... 1 Transhumanist Declaration .................................................................. 1 Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation....................................................... 2 Participation .....................................................................

Theological Implications of the New God Argument

Mormon Transhumanist Association at vimeo.com — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 08:52:00 -0700

The goal of this paper is two-fold. First, we present The New God Argument, after which we discuss some implications for Mormonism. The New God Argument concludes that we should trust that our world probably is created by advanced life forms more benevolent than us. The argument is based on assumptions widely shared among both secular and religious persons, and is consistent with modern science and technological trends. Although the logic of the argument holds, independent of any potential theological implications, we feel that the implications for Mormonism are profound. The God in question in this argument is a natural material God that became God through natural material means, suggesting how we might do the same. As emphasized in the argument, benevolence, not only power, is among those means and essential to them. This is the God of which Joseph Smith taught us. Most philosophical arguments for God's existence have aimed at justifying traditional Christian theology. However, Mormon theology, particularly as advocated by Joseph Smith near the end of his life, diverges from tradition to posit emergent gods that organize worlds from existing matter according to existing laws. The New God Argument does not contend to infallibly prove God's existence or to provide a relationship with God. It contends only to demonstrate that a common worldview, informed of contemporary science and technological trends, leads to and is wholly compatible with faith in a particular kind of God.

Cast: Mormon Transhumanist Association

A Technical Interpretation of Mormon Physics and Physiology

Mormon Transhumanist Association at vimeo.com — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 21:21:50 -0700

The spiritual aspect of the universe and our bodies, as described in Mormon scripture and tradition, may be empirically accessible, and we should embrace this assumption for practical and moral reasons. Some consider the spiritual aspect to be supernatural or otherwise empirically inaccessible, thereby presupposing its exclusion from science and technology. However, an authentic interpretation of Mormon scripture and tradition supports the idea that we commonly observe the spiritual aspect, and that spiritual transactions are the basis of all observation and action. Because our salvation depends in part on learning about, governing and organizing both the physical and the spiritual aspects of our universe and our bodies, we should assume the possibility of and seek after a technical understanding of their natures.

Cast: Mormon Transhumanist Association

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The New God Argument

Mormon Transhumanist Association at vimeo.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:36:37 -0800

In this Sunstone 2008 session, members of the Mormon Transhumanist Association present The New God Argument. Most philosophical arguments for God's existence have been aimed at justifying traditional Christian theology. However, Mormon theology, particularly as advocated by Joseph Smith near the end of his life, diverges from tradition to posit emergent gods that organize worlds from existing matter according to existing laws. Aiming at justifying Mormon theology, we have formulated a new argument for God's existence. The argument is based on assumptions widely shared among both secular and religious persons, is consistent with modern science and technological trends, and concludes that we should trust that our world probably is created by advanced life forms more benevolent than we are. We invite philosophers, theologians, scientists, technologists, and anyone interested in such matters to watch with your most critical eyes and ears. We are very interested in feedback.

Cast: Mormon Transhumanist Association

A Mormon Perspective on Transhumanism

Mormon Transhumanist Association at vimeo.com — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 08:30:42 -0800

In this presentation, Carl Youngblood, a director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, shares his thoughts on the similarities between Mormonism and Transhumanism.

Cast: Mormon Transhumanist Association

Mormon Transhumanist Association Member Survey Results

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:59:36 -0800

Mormon Transhumanist Association Member Survey 2008 1. Please confirm your name, location and email address. Response Percent Name: City/Town: State: Country: Email Address: 100.0% 100.0% 92.2% 100.0% 100.0% answered question skipped question Response Count 51 51 47 51 51 51 0 2. Are you comfortable identifying yourself as the following? Almost Always 18.4% (9) 23.4% (11) 20.4% (10) 19.6% (9) Almost Never 4.1% (2) 12.8% (6) 8.2% (4) 17.4% (8) Response Count 49 47 49 46 49 2 Always Sometimes Never Mormon Transhumanist Mormon Transhumanist Transfigurist 59.2% (29) 36.2% (17) 30.6% (15) 26.

Mormon Transhumanist Association Quick Facts Handout

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:56:18 -0800

Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation (1) We seek the spiritual and physical exaltation of individuals and their anatomies, as well as communities and their environments, according to their wills, desires and laws, to the extent they are not oppressive. (2) We believe that scientific knowledge and technological power are among the means ordained of God to enable such exaltation, including realization of diverse prophetic visions of transfiguration, immortality, resurrection, renewal of this world, and the discovery and creation of worlds without end. (3) We feel a duty to use science and technology

Articles of Incorporation of the Mormon Transhumanist Association

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:54:32 -0800

Articles of Incorporation ARTICLE I NAME/REGISTERED OFFICE The name of this corporation shall be the Mormon Transhumanist Association. The corporation's registered office is located at: Mormon Transhumanist Association 1580 South 2300 East Salt Lake City, UT 84108 ARTICLE II PURPOSE This corporation is organized exclusively for educational, scientific and religious purposes within the meaning of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as now enacted or hereafter amended, including, for such purposes, the making of distributions to organizations that also qualify as Section 501(

Constitution of the Mormon Transhumanist Association

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:52:11 -0800

Constitution of the Mormon Transhumanist Association Article I: Identity Section 1: Name The name of this organization shall be the Mormon Transhumanist Association (MTA), hereafter referred to as â€œthe Associationâ€*. Section 2: Legal The Association shall be a 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization. Section 3: Affiliation The Association shall be an autonomous affiliate of the World Transhumanist Association (WTA) serving the Mormon interest group. The Association shall not be formally affiliated with any religious organization, but shall support members of the Association in their personal aff

Practical Faith in Prophetic Vision (Lincoln Cannon, Brent Allsop, Joseph West, Bryant Smith, Kathy Wilson, Karl Hale and Chris Bradford Transcript)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:49:07 -0800

Lincoln Cannon Introducing Practical Faith In 1839, Joseph Smith wrote: â€œGod shall give unto you knowledge by his Holy Spirit . . . that has not been revealed since the world was until now; Which our forefathers have awaited with anxious expectation to be revealed in the last times, which their minds were pointed to by the angels, as held in reserve for the fulness of their glory; A time to come in the which nothing shall be withheld, whether there be one God or many gods, they shall be manifest . . . if there be bounds set to the heavens or to the seas, or to the dry land, or to the sun, mo

Transfiguration: Parallels and Complements between Mormonism and Transhumanism (Dan Wotherspoon Notes)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:47:08 -0800

Remarks for Mormon Transhumanist Association Gathering 28 April 2007 Dan Wotherspoon, Editor, Sunstone magazine (quick expansion of the notes used that night) Thanks for the invitation to speak. Iâ€™ve enjoyed my interactions with MTA members over the past several months as weâ€™ve worked together in preparing the cover article for the March 2007 Sunstone. Iâ€™m really glad for the reactions that led to the eleventh-hour redesign of the layout and change from the highly futuristic images to those featuring older technologies. I had reacted similarly to many of you when I first saw the earlier

Transfiguration: Parallels and Complements between Mormonism and Transhumanism (Carl Youngblood Slides)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:45:04 -0800

A Mormon Perspective on Transhumanism Carl Youngblood Board Member Mormon Transhumanist Association *Personal background â€¢ CTO of a construction lending company â€¢ Software engineer â€¢ Born and reared LDS â€¢ Active and enthusiastic member today â€¢ Grew up in Provo, Utah â€¢ Served mission to Brazil â€¢ BA in Portuguese from BYU â€¢ MS in Computer Science from University of Washington *Outline â€¢ Review of relevant Mormon doctrines â€¢ Introduction to Transhumanism â€¢ Parallels and complements between the two world views â€¢ Common questions and concerns â€¢ Personal insights *Dispen

Transfiguration: Parallels and Complements between Mormonism and Transhumanism

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:32:42 -0800

S U N S T O N E How can one work toward a future that is understood only vaguely, if at all? What is the effect of faith that is not active? Might active faith in Mormon visions of the future be essential to realizing them? TRANSFIGURATION PARALLELS AND COMPLEMENTS BETWEEN MORMONISM AND TRANSHUMANISM By Members of the Mormon Transhumanist Association We must assume our existence as broadly as we in any way can; everything, even the unheard-of, must be possible in it. This is at bottom the only courage that is demanded of us: to have courage for the most strange, the most singular and

The New God Argument (Lincoln Cannon and Joseph West Slides)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:30:12 -0800

The New God Argument Prepared by Lincoln Cannon and Joseph West for Presentation at Sunstone Symposium 2008 in Salt Lake City transfigurism.org admin@transfigurism.org *â€œWhat kind of a being is God?â€* Joseph Smith *"If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?â€* Paul of Tarsus *The New God Argument 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. Faith Position Angel Argument Creation Argument Charity Argument from Angels Charity Argument from Faith Charity Argument from Creation *â€œGod is an exalted man, and sits enthro

The New God Argument (Lincoln Cannon and Joseph West Handout)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:27:07 -0800

The New God Argument Formulated by Lincoln Cannon and Joseph West Abstract: If basic life forms are probable then we should trust that advanced civilizations are probable. If any advanced civilization probably has increased in destructive capacity faster than defensive capacity, and if any advanced civilization probably creates many worlds like those in its past, then we should trust that an advanced civilization more benevolent than us probably created our world. The alternative is that we probably will go extinct before becoming an advanced civilization. The Faith Position Abstract: For pr

The New God Argument (Lincoln Cannon and Joseph West Transcript)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:22:27 -0800

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Transfigurism: Syncretization of Mormonism and Transhumanism (Lincoln Cannon Slides)

www.scribd.com — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:18:48 -0800

Mormon Transhumanism Prepared by Lincoln Cannon for Presentation to Second Life Transhumanists 2008 transfigurism.org admin@transfigurism.org *Agenda Brief Introduction to Mormonism Parallels with Transhumanism Metaphysics Theodicy Eschatology Soteriology Relative Compatibility of Other Religions *Mormonism Joseph Smith (1805-1844) First Vision (1820) Book of Mormon (1830) Church of Christ (1830-1844) Martyrdom and Schism (1844) Brigham Young (1801-1877) Exodus (1847-1869) The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (1851Present) [13 Million Members] Joseph Smith III (1832-1914) Reor