<html>
<body>
<br>
Recently, I sent an email concerning an upcoming conference at the
LABoral
<a href="http://www2.laboralcentrodearte.org/" eudora="autourl">
http://www2.laboralcentrodearte.org/</a> which has a focus on gaming,
immersion and VR, but also invites design and theory as they relate to
the idea of homo ludens. Thank you to those who emailed me off-list
with your insights. <br><br>
Below is my abstract. While the concept is not novel, the
particular angle I invite offers a unique way of dealing with the issue
of humans vs. other intelligent life forms -- that of the
"look" of future entities. While this may seem ever so
vogue, history evidences that humans are overly preoccupied with how one
"looks" in regards to color of skin, physiognomy, as well as
selection of garments and how such garments are worn.<br><br>
While my presentation offers a sense of humor about this, it will include
a brief but hopefully valid study of how this seemingly minor issue could
cause a ruckus.<br><br>
Please note, as usual I enjoy collaborations. In light of this,
your ideas will be seriously entertained!<br><br>
_______________________________<br><br>
<br>
Title: <br>
"The Design War: Humanish vs. Postbiologicals – controversy that may
affect humanity"<br>
<br>
Abstract:<br>
Struggles of political and religious hegemony reveal distinct biases
concerning what is or is not an acceptable method of design for sapient
life. "Humanish," the biological fundamentalists, argue
for classical style. Postbiologicals, a variety of species derived
from Homo sapiens and artificial general intelligence, might lobby for
ingenuity.<br>
<br>
One hundred thousand years ago, the human species experienced an
indisputable improvement in its cognitive architecture. Now, an
evident shift from biological cells to programmable AI takes the
processes of intelligence from human neurons to more resilient and faster
performing substrates, one million times over.<br>
<br>
This paper addresses the issue of species hierarchy as it concerns
whether humanity ought to look biological as it merges with
smarter-than-human intelligence. In a perfect world, these species
would learn to get along. Due to the Singularity, humanity learns
they are not the only life form with consciousness and aesthetic
taste.<br><br>
<br>
Natasha<br><br><x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<dl>
<dd><font size=2><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Natasha</a>
<a href="http://www.natasha.cc/"> Vita-More</a>
<dd>PhD Candidate, Planetary Collegium - CAiiA, situated in the
Faculty of Technology,
<dd>School of Computing, Communications and Electronics,
<dd>University of Plymouth, UK
<dd><a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/">Transhumanist Arts &
Culture</a>
<dd><a href="http://extropy.org/">Thinking About the
</a><a href="http://extropy.org/">Future</a> <br><br>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>If you draw a circle in the
sand and study only what's inside the circle, then that is a
closed-system perspective. If you study what is inside the circle and
everything outside the circle, then that is an open system perspective. -
</i>Buckminster Fuller<br>
<br><br></font>
</dl></body>
</html>