Lincoln Cannon of the Mormon Transhumanist Association in Second Life, March 30
Lincoln Cannon of the Mormon Transhumanist Association gave a presentation and a Q/A session in Second Life, on March 30 at 10:00 PST, at the virtual headquarters of SL-Transhumanists.
Abstract: Transhumanism is compatible with at least some religious forms, as illustrated by parallels between basic Transhumanist ideas and an authentic interpretation of Mormon metaphysics, theodicy, eschatology and soteriology. These parallels also provide a basis from which to judge the relative compatibility of other religious forms, such as Christianity, with Transhumanism.
SL-Transhumanists @ extropia core - SLURL
Video clip (4 min) with parts of Lincoln’s presentation and Q/A
Full audio recording of Lincoln’s presentation and Q/A (47M, right click to download)
The Mormon Transhumanist Association promotes practical faith in human exaltation through charitable use of science and technology. The association was founded on 3 March 2006 and affiliated with the World Transhumanist Association on 6 July 2006. Read the 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 according to wisdom and inspiration, to identify and prepare for risks and responsibilities associated with future advances, and to persuade others to do likewise.
Lincoln gave a talk last year at the Seminar on H+ and Religion in SL. His presentation is archived here. His conclusions: “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”. This is, I believe, a perfect explanation of why, despite what fundamentalists may say, transhumanism is not at all incompatible with religion but, on the contrary, each of the two sets of sensibilities can boost the other in a positive feedback loop.
I did not know much (still don’t) about Mormonism before meeting the people of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. My mental image of Mormons was (still is) derived from movies: people living in Utah, always well dressed, very hardworking and much too serious (and men with many wives). But my image of the MTA is that of a community of smart and motivated transhumanists who see no conflict, but on the contrary mutual reinforcement, between transhumanism and their faith. And there must be something true in the images of Mormons as very serious and hardworking people, because the MTA website is by far the best transhumanist community site in terms of both IT implementation and content. I consider the MTA as a transhumanist success story that may be (I will ask Lincoln on Sunday) “exported” to other religions and Christian denominations.
Update: I did ask this question to Lincoln, and it appears that Mormonism has indeed some specificities that make it more compatible with transhumanism than other religions or Christian denominations - for example its lack of emphasis on metaphysics or a supernatural God. As far as I understand it (Lincoln please correct me if I am wrong), Mormonism is quite compatible with the idea of a God evolving in and with the universe and achieving its Godhead via a technology enabled evolutionary process.
I was quite pleased with Lincoln’s answer to one of my questions, about the possibility that some future civilization may find a way, by extracting all relevant information from the past, to resurrect us by “copying us to the future”. Lincoln answered that this technological resurrection option is an element of his faith, and also mentioned alternative scenarios based on Nick Bostrom’s simulation theory: perhaps those who are running us as simulations may choose to continue running us after our physical death. This answer is in the video clip.
I was very pleased to hear that non Mormons are welcome in the MTA if they agree with the Transhumanist Declaration and the Mormon Transhumanist Affirmation and that, since I agree with both and signed up on the MTA website, I am a member of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. I don’t believe in a “conventional” supernatural God but am quite open to the possibility of a “natural” God in the sense outlined above. I will certainly continue to participate in the MTA, which is one of the most active and vibrant transhumanist communities.
Posted by G.P. on 03/27 at 11:50 AM
