1809 - 1859 - 2009

1. Monday, 6 p.m., 455 MARB How Darwin's Big Idea Has Improved the Human Condition: Three Vignettes for Discussion Evolution and Modern Medicine - Keith Crandall, Department of Biology Evolution in Forensics, Food, & Conservation - Byron Adams, Department of Biology Evolution and Behavior - Jerry Johnson, Department of Biology
2. Tuesday, Noon, 321 Maeser Building Auditorium The Many Faces of Charles Darwin Daniel Fairbanks, Professor and Associate Dean of Science and Health, Utah Valley University
3. Wednesday, 3 p.m., 455 MARB An Approach to Understanding the Creation Terry Ball, Dean of Religious Education, Department of Ancient Scripture, Brigham Young University
4. Wednesday, 7 p.m., 445 MARB On Knowing: The Times and Seasons of Joseph Smith, Abraham Lincoln, and Charles Darwin Riley Nelson, Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University
5. Thursday Feb. 12 - 7 p.m. - 3220 Wilkinson Student Center The Legacy of Charles Darwin: Seeking Grandeur in the View of Life Michael Whiting, Professor, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University Birthday cake will be served following the lecture.
6. Thursday, 6:30 p.m. reception, 7p.m. lecture, 377 Clyde Building The Evolution of Charles Darwin: A Bicentennial Celebration Scott Ritter, Professor & Chair, Department of Geology, Brigham Young University
7. Friday, 3 p.m., 445 MARB Darwin and the Human Fossil Record Duane Jeffery, Professor Emeritus, Department of Biology, Brigham Young University For more information, please see the press release.

The Mormon Transhumanist Association congratulates and expresses support for the new directors of our affiliate, Humanity+. The following five candidates have been elected to the five 2009-2010 board seats:

Sonia Arrison George Dvorsky Ben Goertzel Todd Huffman Mike LaTorra

These three board members will serve 2009 terms:

Patri Friedman Jonas Lamis Mike Treder

All voting members of the Mormon Transhumanist Association are voting members of Humanity+, and were eligible to participate in the election of these new directors.

The board of directors of our affiliate, Humanity+ (formerly the World Transhumanist Association), has announced that Richard Leis has accepted appointment as the Executive Director of Humanity+.

Online journal Re-public invites contributions for its upcoming special issue entitled "Transhumanism?". Is there a new challenge about to dominate our world? A challenge that appears more pressing than the fight against climate change, as demanding as the one against "terrorism" or poverty, more complex than our current questions around bioethics. Are we in a position to redefine, to drastically transform our very human nature? This is a question formed in the last 20 years by an international movement, deriving from a scientific current, advocating that if the human is a result of an evolution process of millions of years time, nothing rationally preempts its conclusion. On the contrary, transhumanism proposes that the convergence of nanotechnologies, biotechnologies, information and cognitive sciences provide us with a new opportunity, as well as, the responsibility to collectively participate and assume this evolution: it is, more than ever, possible to "form a better humanity" meaning better health for individuals, longer life expectancy, a more effective control of themselves, through enhanced skills, capacities and capabilities. The special issue will attempt to investigate the influence of transhumanism and the new questions that its poses. Possible essay themes include: Where does H+ stand today in theoretical and political terms? What kind of humanity do we wish for? Can we move beyond the dillema between a uniformed or a diverse humanity? Where are the new limits between prevention and personal freedom (eg. to own or dispose our body)? Which are the formal or informal political practices that can guide the enhancement of human capacities? What is the relationship between H+ et bio-politics? Where do we meet these practices, today, how are they being formed? What can we learn from them? These are some of the questions that touch upon the most sensible aspects of our identity, values, beliefs, questions that can not be abandoned to the decisions of the scientific community, but that they should form the terrain for a public debate on a global scale. Essays should be approximately 1,500 words long. Please submit contributions in any electronic format to: marcroux AT yahoo.com Guest editor: Marc Roux Deadline for submission: 15 February 2008

Humanity+ (formerly known as the World Transhumanist Association) is accepting applications for the position of Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for managing the affairs of H+ under the Direction of the Board of Directors, including:

Humanity+ (WTA) Board members set policy goals and oversee their implementation, contributing with their experience and expertise to the WTA's work. We've got a very full agenda for the coming year, setting up our new website, revising the Transhumanist Declaration, fundraising, building our network of chapters and student groups, and publishing our new H+ magazine.

Andy West is stepping down from his position as a director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. On behalf of the association, I'd like to thank Andy for his service on the board of directors. Andy is a founding member of the association, was one of the original directors, and organized our monthly roundtable discussions in Salt Lake City. Although we will miss his participation on the board of directors, Andy plans to continue his support for and contributions to the purpose of the Mormon Transhumanist Association. Thank you, Andy!

The Mormon Transhumanist Association will be hosting the next in their series of monthly round table discussions on 18 October 2008. Subsequent discussions will be held on the third Saturday of each month. October's discussion will be focused on Krista Tippets' "Speaking of Faith" podcast entitled "Quarks and Creation" an interview with John Polkinghorne. The podcast can be downloaded here. Andrew West, Director of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, will moderate the discussion. The event will be held in the conference hall of the Arnell-West building located at 3441 S 2200 W, Salt Lake City, Utah, just southeast of the E-Center. The discussion will begin at 7:00 PM Mountain Time. Light refreshments will be served.

On November 15-16, 2008, the world's most dangerous ideas will collide in Mountain View, California. Convergence08 examines the world-changing possibilities of nanotech and the life-changing promises of biotech. It is the premier forum for debate and exploration of cogtech ethics, and ground zero of the past and future infotech revolution. Convergence08 is an innovative, lively unconference, the first and only forum dedicated to NBIC (Nano-Bio-Info-Cogno) technologies.

The Howard W. Hunter Chair of Mormon Studies in the School of Religion at Claremont Graduate University is pleased to sponsor a conference on:

Parallels and Convergences: Mormon Thought and Engineering Vision

Location:Claremont Graduate University, 150 E. 10th Street, Claremont, CA 91711