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I'm very happy to announce that acclaimed futurist Jamais Cascio (WorldChanging, Open the Future, FastCompany, Institute For The Future, Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies) will be coming to lead our discussion of the Singularity, and what we should be doing about it. He's going to kick us off with a provocative call-to-arms:
Putting the Human Back in the Post-Human Condition
aka If I Can't Dance, I Don't Want to be Part of Your Singularity
With their unwavering focus on computing power and digital technology, leading Singularity proponents increasingly define the future in language devoid of politics and culture—thereby missing two of the factors most likely to shape the direction of any technology-driven intelligence explosion. Even if the final result is a "post-human" era, leaving out human elements when describing what leads up to a Singularity isn't just mistaken, it's potentially quite dangerous. It's time to set aside algorithms and avatars, and talk about the truly important issues surrounding the possibility of a Singularity: political power, social responsibility, and the role of human agency.
This should provide more than enough fodder for a lively discussion. I'm looking forward to a very special evening.
October 7, 2009
Brilliant! Jamais Cascio was fantastic. He put the Singularity scenario in terms of current human socialization and drew a convincing connection that this could be the way it plays out.
October 4, 2009
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Speaker was excellent. The logistics were horrible.
Next time, (1) start on time, not 20 minutes early, (2) find a space that can hold the number of people expected or (2b) more rigidly enforce your RSVP requirements. I RSVPd as requested, I got there before the scheduled start time, and none of that meant anything, because the place was overcrowded.