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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2><SPAN
class=390461617-18022009>Friends, I am forwarding Calvin Mercer's email.
(I did not inlcude the WTA list because it was already sent there.) Please
see below:</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2></FONT> </DIV>
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style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes"><IMG
height=48 alt=Nlogo1.tif src="cid:390461617@18022009-071F" width=23
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style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: #404040; FONT-FAMILY: 'Freestyle Script'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><A
href="http://www.natasha.cc/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #404040; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Natasha Vita-More</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<DIV> </DIV><BR>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">2009 Call for Papers
(open to non-American Academy of Religion members)—Deadline March 2, 2009
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><EM><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">Transhumanism and
Religion Consultation--American Academy of Religion--November 7-10, 2009
annual meeting in Montreal</SPAN></EM><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">This
Consultation welcomes papers on any aspect of transhumanism and religion. We
particularly welcome papers that identify and critically evaluate the implicit
religious beliefs underlying key transhumanist claims and assumptions. For
example, what are the operative notions of anthropology, soteriology, and
eschatology that are at play in the transhumanist quest for enhancement,
including extreme longevity? We welcome more overtly philosophical critiques of
posthuman discourse, especially in respect to the employment of and reliance
placed in technology. We encourage proposals about all religious traditions.
Also, rather than depending on biotechnology, some transhumanists place greater
confidence in nanotechnology, robotics, and information technology to achieve
virtual immortality and create a superior posthuman species. We welcome critical
and constructive assessments of this envisioned future. For more information,
contact Calvin Mercer (</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><A
href="mailto:mercerc@ecu.edu"><FONT
color=#0000ff>mercerc@ecu.edu</FONT></A><SPAN style="COLOR: black">).
</SPAN><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">TO
SUBMIT PROPOSAL ONLINE AS A NON-MEMBER<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">--go to
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><A
href="http://www.aarweb.org/" target=_blank><FONT
color=#0000ff>www.aarweb.org</FONT></A><SPAN
style="COLOR: black"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">--on
the right side, click on "online paper and panel proposal (OP3) system now
open"<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">--scroll
down and click on “Submit a Proposal as a Non-Member” and follow
instructions<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">--the
proposal is for the “Religion and Transhumanism”
consultation<o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'">If your
proposal is accepted, then you will need to become an AAR member and be
registered for the annual meeting in (Montreal November 7-10) before June 15 to
remain on the program. <B style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal">Deadline
for submission of a proposal is March 2, 2009.</B><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><B
style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">DESCRIPTION
OF TRANSHUMANISM<o:p></o:p></SPAN></B></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: normal"><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: black; FONT-FAMILY: 'Arial','sans-serif'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'">“Transhumanism”
or “human enhancement” refers to an intellectual and cultural movement that
advocates the use of a variety of emerging technologies. The convergence of
these technologies may make it possible to take control of human evolution,
providing for the enhancement of human mental and physical abilities and the
amelioration of aspects of the human condition regarded as undesirable. If these
enhancements become widely available, it would arguably have a more radical
impact than any other development in human history—one need only reflect briefly
on the economic, political, and social implications of some of the extreme
enhancement possibilities. The implications for religion and the religious
dimensions of human enhancement technologies are enormous and are addressed in
our consultation.</SPAN></P></DIV></BODY></HTML>