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Annual conference report Humanity+ interviews Association president New directors elected Association annual survey results released

Issue

A quarterly review of the Mormon Transhumanist Association

Transfigurist Quarterly
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Speaker Highlights
Annual conference heard from Aubrey de Grey

Annual Association Conference a Success

Friday April 5, 2013 @ SLC
Presentation videos are found in the 2013 Mormon Transhumanist Association Conference playlist on the Associations YouTube channel, youtube.com/transfigurism . By

Dr. de Grey presented "Why it is a sin NOT to strive to develop medicine that eliminates aging" at the Association annual conference held on 5 April 2013. His presentation has by far the most views on the Associations YouTube channel, relative to the other presentations. Other keynote speakers included: Richard Bushman, author of Rough Stone Rolling, presented: From Humanity to Fulness the Mormon way Carl Teichrib, editor of Forcing Change, presented: A Christian Critique of Christian Transhumanism Dr. Peter Wicks, presented An Atheist Transhumanist Critique of Religious Transhumanism

I arrived at the library a few minutes early, and spoke with the small crowd of MTAers waiting for the doors to open. Within an hour, our small group blossomed to fill our conference room on the fourth floor. Two sides of the room were made entirely of glass, one facing the spring sky and the other facing row upon row of library shelves.

Within an hour, our small group blossomed to fill our con-

distraction of seating newcomers in the to-capacity room, presenters delivered their remarks to an engaged audience, and answered questions.

Between the morning and afternoon sessions, atference room on the tendees networked with each other, catching up fourth floor. with friends and meeting new associates. The tone was positive, collegial, and with a buzz Ushers helped sign in and seat atof energy that anticipated not only the tendees, and Association president Linnext topic but the potential for action coln Cannon welcomed the group, after represented by the assembly. which he presented Purpose of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. The Mormon Transhumanist BarberChris Bradford, Association vicepresident, introduced several of the speakers, whose presentations were live streamed and video recorded for future publication on the Associations YouTube channel. Amid the occasional shop Sextet caused no small amount of smiles to crack wide across the room, regaling the audience with their highcaliber and occasionally witty renditions. All told, the conference proved a great success!

New Directors Elected

Finding Agent Thats Right You Transhumanist Association elected three new directors: Carl Youngblood, Don In annual An elections held in April, voting members For of the Mormon
Bradley and Karl Hale. Carl Youngblood and Karl Hale have served on the association's board of directors previously. They and Don Bradley will fill positions previously filled by Bryant Smith, David Foster and Michael Ferguson, who the association thanks for their service. Brad Carmack, Chris Bradford, Dorothy Deasy, James Carroll, Lincoln Cannon, and Nathan Hadfield continue to serve on the board of directors.

Humanity+ Director Interviews Association President

Adam Ford, a director of Humanity+, interviewed Lincoln Cannon, president of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, on the subjects of Transhumanism and Mormonism. Humanity+ and the Mormon Transhumanist Association are affiliates. The interview was published on YouTube May 5th, and is also available at the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

Association update >>>

Annual Survey Results

The Association released results of its 2012 member survey. The survey results provide aggregate statistics of members' views on religion and politics, satisfaction with the association, and demographics. In 2012, the association grew from 143 members to 255 members, and 91 members participated in the survey. Notable statistical changes since 2011 include:

Association Represents at 5432 Any Street West American Philosophical Associations Townsville, State 54321 Annual Meeting
Brad Carmack, Director and Secretary of the Association, represented the Association at the 87th Annual Meeting of the American Philosophical Society in San Francisco on 27-31 March 2013. Brad spoke on the subject of "Transfigurism: a Syncretization of Mormonism and Transhumanism". His thesis was that emerging technology will continue to affect the evolution of religion, and Mormon Transhumanism is an early example of the adaptations we might expect to observe more broadly going forward. Brads remarks were warmly received (as well as challenged) by the attendees and other speakers, including Dale Carrico and Max Moore (CEO of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation). Printed versions of the full papers are published in Volume 8/2 of Existenz (www.existenz.us) an open access journal of the Karl Jaspers Society of North America.

Twelve-month average growth increased from 2.5 to 9 new members per month

Membership identifying as progressive in economic politics declined from 41% to 32%

Membership attributing high importance to the association increased from 25% to 33%

Membership born in the years 1975 to 1984 increased from 31% to 44% Membership of Caucasian ethnicity decreased from 94% to 88%