Transhumanism – The Presidential Election and Zoltan Istvan
Highway To Mars
English - October 06, 2016 12:45 - 1 hour - 39.1 MB - ★★★★★ - 5 ratingsBooks Arts TV & Film tmah rose mars science fiction books movies sci-fi audio animation Homepage Download Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Overcast Castro Pocket Casts RSS feed
Generally we talk Science Fiction on Highway to Mars but this week I found science fiction lagging behind on what I think could well be the most important issues of our time. If Transhumanism seems somewhat SF that is only because the developments in Transhumanism are happening largely out of the public eye. Zoltan Istvan […]
Generally we talk Science Fiction on Highway to Mars but this week I found science fiction lagging behind on what I think could well be the most important issues of our time. If Transhumanism seems somewhat SF that is only because the developments in Transhumanism are happening largely out of the public eye.
Zoltan Istvan is unique. It’s not very often that anyone who enters politics does so on a purely science platform let alone a reasonably fringe science at that. Yet when you listen to him, you realise he is performing the function that science fiction should, exploring the implications of a difficult technology long before it’s come to pass.
There is a remarkable contrast in Transhumanism. While the West has treated it as fringe frankenstein science, at best used by monsters the Japanese at least have been having exactly that science conversion through manga and anime for a long time. Japan has already decided to embrace robotics. Transhumanism is close behind.
If Transhumanism is fringe science it shouldn’t be. Transhumanism has the potential to be the most disruptive of all technologies, what would be more disruptive than Human 2.0.
I want to make clear I am not advocating for or against Transhumanism, though I think it’s inevitable. I am however advocating that like any change a lot of forethought is needed. This is one change that should not be thrust upon us, even if it’s a good thing. Looking at how long we have had to prepare for global warming though, maybe there never will be enough time.
None the less SF, time to get talking. Thankfully Zoltan is not waiting for you.
Original Interview from Youtube – Dave Rubin via the Rubin Report