emergence

Alexei Turchin (born 1973, Moscow) is a Russian independent researcher, author, and transhumanist thinker whose work concentrates on existential risk, life extension, and the theoretical and technological pathways to human resurrection. Educated in physics and art history at Moscow State University, he has been an active figure in the Russian transhumanist movement since 2007 and a contributor to the Arch Mission Foundation, which is dedicated to preserving human knowledge across deep time. Turchin has written extensively on what he frames as a multilevel strategy for immortality: Plan A (defeating aging), Plan B (cryonics), Plan C (digital immortality), and Plan D (multiverse or quantum immortality). His philosophical work engages questions of personal identity, the nature of the connectome, and the informational basis of human consciousness—arguing that death is, at its core, a loss of information, and that resurrection is therefore a project of information reconstruction. Drawing on the Russian cosmist tradition, especially Nikolai Fedorov’s vision of the universal resurrection of the dead, Turchin argues that a sufficiently advanced superintelligent AI could simulate all of human history in enough detail to reconstruct every person who ever lived, transferring them into personalized continuations of existence. This vision resonates deeply with Mormon transhumanist hopes for technological resurrection and the redemption of the dead. At the 2019 Mormon Transhumanist Association Conference, themed “Redeeming Our Dead,” Turchin presented these ideas directly, proposing that benevolent superintelligences—far outnumbering malevolent ones across the universe—would be the natural agents of such a project. His work treats moral seriousness as inseparable from technical aspiration: questions of consent, unnecessary suffering, and the ethics of simulated existence are not afterthoughts but load-bearing concerns. In this sense, Turchin exemplifies the cosmist conviction that intelligence, at sufficient scale, becomes a redemptive force—a conviction that Mormon transhumanism, with its own doctrine of eternal progression and compassionate creation, finds deeply familiar.

Allen Hansen was raised in northern Israel within the LDS faith, an experience that has profoundly shaped his academic and personal interests. His interdisciplinary scholarship spans a wide range of subjects, reflecting his diverse background and intellectual curiosity. Hansen’s research interests are particularly focused on the intersection of Mormonism, Judaism, and Biblical studies, with a keen interest in late antiquity. He also has scholarly interests in journalism, as well as Eastern European and Middle Eastern studies. This breadth allows him to explore unique connections between seemingly disparate fields. Hansen also brings a practical dimension to his scholarship through interests in business management and positive psychology, both of which he frames through the lens of Zion — exploring how organizational design and individual well-being might serve a larger communal vision. This thread of his work aligns naturally with the Mormon Transhumanist Association's broader project of bridging faith and posthumanism.

Allen Leigh is a veteran software engineer, electrical engineer, and author whose work seeks to harmonize the rigors of technical science with the principles of Latter-day Saint theology. With a professional career spanning forty-four years in the software industry and a background in electrical engineering, Leigh brings a pragmatic, systems-based perspective to religious inquiry, focusing on the structural mechanics of creation and eternity. Leigh’s intellectual contributions are best encapsulated in his book, One Mormon’s View of the Science-Religion Debate and the Quest for Eternity . In this text, he navigates the often-contentious boundary between empirical evidence and spiritual belief, arguing that the two disciplines are not mutually exclusive but rather complementary frameworks for understanding the universe. His work suggests that the perceived rift between science and religion often stems from a misunderstanding of the methodologies inherent to both. A key figure in discussions on Mormon Transhumanism, Leigh has applied his technical expertise to theological cosmology. His presentation at the MTAConf 2009 entitled “God, the Perfect Engineer” focused on the concept of “engineering design cycles”—the iterative processes used to plan, build, test, and refine complex systems. Leigh proposed a model in which God functions as a Master Engineer, utilizing similar design cycles in the creation of the earth. This framework raises profound questions regarding the nature of divine omnipotence and the practical realities of creation. By drawing parallels to earthly engineering projects—which are subject to constraints, iterations, and the risk of failure—Leigh investigates whether the creation of the earth followed a similar, non-linear path. He challenges his audience to consider if a divine creation project could, in theory, fail, and what the implications of such a failure would be for our understanding of God’s plan. Through this lens, Leigh encourages a view of the cosmos that appreciates the intricate, perhaps even experimental, nature of existence.

Amit Goswami is a scientist and researcher who challenges mainstream scientific materialism, particularly in its application to consciousness, health, and healing. He advocates for the integration of spirituality with medicine and seeks to demonstrate the importance of consciousness in these areas—a view often dismissed by conventional scientific paradigms. Goswami draws heavily on the principles of quantum physics to argue for a reality where consciousness plays a fundamental role. He posits that the prevailing materialistic worldview, which treats the body and mind as mere machines, inhibits our understanding of health, healing, and the human experience. He believes that quantum physics offers an alternative perspective, one that acknowledges the subjective aspect of consciousness and its potential impact on our well-being. At a 2013 conference jointly organized by the Integrative Health Network and the Mormon Transhumanist Association, Goswami presented on “Quantum Physics, Consciousness and Health.” He emphasized the disconnect between the implications of quantum physics and its public perception, suggesting that media and academia have perpetuated materialistic concepts to the detriment of a more holistic understanding of consciousness and its potential for influencing health and personal agency. His work attempts to bridge the gap between scientific inquiry and spiritual understanding, encouraging a reevaluation of the role of consciousness in our lives.

Aubrey de Grey is a biomedical gerontologist based in Cambridge, United Kingdom, and Mountain View, California. He is recognized for his work in combating the aging process and is a frequent speaker at events focused on the intersection of science, ethics, and longevity. De Grey serves as the Chief Science Officer of SENS Research Foundation, a California-based nonprofit dedicated to developing and promoting therapies to reverse aging. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of Rejuvenation Research , a leading peer-reviewed journal focused on intervention in aging. De Grey is best known for developing Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS), a comprehensive plan for repairing the accumulating molecular and cellular damage that constitutes mammalian aging. SENS breaks aging down into seven major classes of damage and identifies detailed approaches to addressing each one.