[ExI] Terasem Movement’s 5th Annual Workshop on Geoethical Nanotechnology

[Eschatoon Magic]

http://cosmi2le.com/index.php/site/terasem_movements_5th_annual_workshop_on_geoethical_nanotechnology/

Terasem Movement’s 5th Annual Workshop on Geoethical Nanotechnology
took place on July 20, 2009, 40th anniversary of Apollo 11’s first
Moon landing, at the Terasem Island Amphitheater in Second Life. The
topic for this year’s workshop was “Applications of Asilomar
Guidelines to Self-Replicating Machines”: reconciling conflicts,
apprehensions, and scientific ambitions regarding self-replicating
nanotechnology via use of the practical guidelines developed for
biotechnology.

After an introduction by Lori Rhodes, Terasem founder, successful
space and biotech entrepreneur, transexual pioneer and visionary
transhumanist genius Martine Rothblatt, represented in the picture by
her Second Life avatar Vitology Destiny, delivered a kickass
presentation on future replicating nanotechnology, its promises and
risks, and the significance of the 40th anniversary of Apollo 11: “it
reminds us of the imperative to move outwards - we must get
religiously fanatic about galactic colonization.”.

Galactic colonization, spreading to the cosmos, is the ultimate
objective for which the Asilomar cautious approach might prove too
restrictive. In reply to my question Martine confirmed that today’s
approach to biotechnology and nanotechnology seems too cautious - we
have seen a tremendous growth in information technologies, enabled by
a less cautious approach, and thinks only a bolder and more open
attitude can enable a similar growth in biotechnologies and
nanotechnologies. There is room for everyone: the Singularity
University, government, the private sector, NASA…

Martine discussed mind uploading in the context of galactic
colonization— the presence of uploaded minds in self-replicating
probes to colonize the galaxy—and invited the audience to start a
gradual, non destructive mind upload process by building a mindfile
via her CyBeRev project to upload to self replicating spacecraft take
part in the future cosmic adventures of our species. I think the
CyBeRev approach to uploading is basically correct, but I also think
it can only work in practice with neural BCI (Brain-Computer
Interfaces) order of magnitude faster than current person-computer
interfaces. However, such interfaces are being slowly developed, and I
will certainly work on my CyBeRev mindfile (there are also nice prizes
to win).

The main message of Martine is: we need to get off this little
rock—let the party begin—lets do it now!!. She also talked of the
importance of education—we must use social tools to educate people
everywhere on the planet, perhaps with virtual universities, and
infect them with a heartfelt viral desire for galactic colonization.
We must infect minds with education, the importance of science and
technology, the goal of a galactic civilization, and we will make a
difference. Martine’s talk was (as usual) a great motivational boost,
and I am honored to have played a small part in the organization of
the workshop.

-- 
Eschatoon Magic
http://cosmeng.org/index.php/Eschatoon
aka Giulio Prisco
http://cosmeng.org/index.php/Giulio_Prisco