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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I was reading issue #86 of The Invincible Iron Man in which
Tony Stark (the Iron Man) is reading a copy of the “Age of Spiritual
Machines.” As a billionaire industrialist and weapons developer leading
research into AI and nanotech, Tony is deeply disturbed by implications of the book
and the Singularity. He contemplates putting down the armor once and for all,
but ultimately decides that would do nothing to stop a singularity. Instead, he
works to develop a new technology that would allow him to push a kill-switch on
anything he invents (therefore aborting any out of control…something.
Obviously his plan is flawed, but…)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>This was an issue from some time in ’04 I believe,
just after the breakup of the Avengers.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>I thought it was interesting to see a Kurzweil reference in
the comic and to see Tony Stark refer to Kurzweil by name. Just shows a
broadening of transhumanist influence.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Also, over 2005-2006, it has become common for Tony Stark to
refer to technologically enhanced Marvel superheros as “posthumans”
-- another demonstration of the broadening influence of the terminology of
transhumanism.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>Brandon Reinhart<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=2 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
10.0pt'>transcend@extropica.com<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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