Daylight Atheism » Transhumanism

Book Review: The Quantum Mechanic

Ebonmuse — Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:32:07 +0000

Summary: A compelling atheist thought experiment, wrapped inside a cleverly plotted and fast-paced tale of transhumanist fiction.

This isn't the first time I've reviewed a book written by a fellow blogger, but it's always a pleasure for me to do, and this one was particularly pleasurable to read. The Quantum Mechanic is a novel written by the blogger D - you may know her as the author of She Who Chatters - for 2009's National ... [visit site to read more]

Who Wants to Live Forever?

Ebonmuse — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:38:40 +0000

Last month's post "On Cryonics" outlined why I'm skeptical of that transhumanist doctrine. In today's post, I want to discuss more directly the goal which advocates of cryonics hope to attain - the achievement of immortality through technology that gives us the ability to halt or reverse the aging process.

In this case, my objection is not one of ... [visit site to read more]

On Cryonics

Ebonmuse — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 12:32:35 +0000

Last summer I wrote a post, "Why I'm Skeptical of the Singularity", which gave some reasons for doubting that godlike machine intelligences will ever come into being. Today I'll discuss another idea popular among enthusiasts of transhumanism, namely life extension through cryonics. Here, too, I intend to offer a qualified skepticism.

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Why I'm Skeptical of the Singularity

Ebonmuse — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 23:11:16 +0000

In 1965, Intel co-founder Gordon Moore made a famous observation: that the speed of computer hardware (to be precise, the number of transistors that can be packed onto an integrated circuit) tends to double every two years. In the four decades since, Moore's law has held true with remarkable accuracy. The technology to fabricate ever-smaller logic elements has steadily improved, leading to astounding increases in computer speed. The memory, bandwidth, and processing power available today in ... [visit site to read more]

On Transhumanism

Ebonmuse — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 11:48:12 +0000

One of the most optimistic - perhaps excessively optimistic - philosophies that take shelter under the umbrella terms of atheism and humanism is transhumanism. Transhumanism is a set of loosely associated philosophies which all share a belief in the desirability of transcending the biology of the human condition through technology.

At the marginally more plausible end of the scale, this may entail feats of technology such as preserving the terminally ill by cryogenically freezing ... [visit site to read more]

To Be As Gods

Ebonmuse — Sat, 19 Jan 2008 22:49:21 +0000

I have to admit, I cringe when I read quotes like this:

Max may be a long way from his old home, but he plans on going a lot further than America. Extropianism is a "rational transhumanism", he explains. There may not be any supernatural force in the universe, but pretty soon, suggests More, once we get our brain implants and robot bodies working, we will be as gods.

The linked article is about ... [visit site to read more]