2125 A.D. (Robert presents, AZF)

2125 A.D.

Every age is a transitional age—but some are more so than others. Four powerful forces are now converging to reshape civilization: artificial intelligence, bioengineering, climate change, and global depopulation. None of these trends are truly new. For millennia, humans have been altering their environment, breeding new life forms, building external systems of memory and computation, and suffering catastrophic population collapses. It is the speed and scale of these developments that are unprecedented today.

This discussion will explore how these four forces interact: how depopulation drives automation, how AI strains energy systems even as it helps manage climate, how bioengineering may extend lifespans while further depressing fertility, and how the environment, in turn, feeds back on them all.

What can past human crises and developments teach us about our own future? At what point does acceleration itself become the defining feature of the human condition? Will these radically transformative forces change the world of the coming century into something beyond recognition? Will they make it into something we cannot even imagine? Do you envision a utopia, a dystopia, or something in between? What will the world be like in the year 2125?

Symptom-free people with the capacity to listen considerately to diverse viewpoints are invited to attend after successfully RSVPing.

We begin the discussion at 1:00 pm sharp in the mezzanine above the lobby of the Graduate Hotel. Feel free to come up to 30 minutes early and hang out with us beforehand.

From the front Hotel entrance go to the right around the corner to enter through the north valet entrance. If the valet questions you just say you're here for the philosophy group. Go straight to the main lobby and turn right behind the large bookshelves before the elevators. Go up the stairs to your left and through the first door you encounter to enter our meeting room.

OPENING ROUNDTABLE FORMAT (ORF):

1. The topic presenter begins the discussion by explaining why they are interested in the topic and some introductory thoughts on it.
2. Each participant in turn going clockwise from the presenter describes their general thoughts on the topic.
3. If one is not ready to speak they can just say “pass” and the next person speaks.
4. After we've gone around once anyone who passed will get a second chance to comment.
5. Once everyone has given opening remarks or passed twice, Opening Roundtable is completed and the meeting shifts into its main format.

TIMED DIRECTION FORMAT (TDRF>5):
If there are more than 5 people present we will use the format below.

1. We will divide up the timed direction discussion time by the number of participants plus one (for a buffer). A timer will be set for this amount of time.
2. Each participant in turn will become a Discussion Director and lead the group discussion.
3. If one is not ready to direct they dimply say “pass” and the next person becomes the Discussion Director.
4. Anyone who arrives after step 1 (above), may participate but will not get a turn as Discussion Director.
5. The Discussion Director can make statements or ask questions, or interrupt or redirect the discussion at their discretion.
6. The discussion participants can state their own opinions only when asked by the Discussion Director, not Interrupt others and accede to the Discussion Director’s interruptions or redirections.
7. When the timer goes off the person speaking finishes their thought and then the next participant clockwise becomes the next Discussion Director.
8. After we've gone around once anyone who passed will get a second chance to direct.

At the end of the meeting, participants will have an opportunity to vote on the topic and format for the following meeting.