Videos

Terryl Givens explores how Mormon theology, particularly as developed by Parley P. Pratt and articulated in Joseph Smith’s King Follett discourse, offers a “transcendent humanism” that collapses the traditional divide between the material and the spiritual. By naturalizing deity and placing God within a universe governed by comprehensible laws, this cosmology positions human beings not merely as creatures but as creators with divine potential. Givens argues this framework—with its vision of an unencumbered God who delights in human advancement rather than jealously guarding divine prerogatives—may offer unexpected common ground with scientific naturalists and provide a compelling alternative to the materialist-supernaturalist impasse that characterizes contemporary debates about religion.

Ugo Perego, a molecular biologist at the Sorenson Molecular Genealogy Foundation, explores the intersection of DNA research, human origins, and spiritual identity. He examines how genetic evidence reveals humanity’s remarkable biological unity—demonstrating that all humans share a common ancestor and that racial differences account for only 0.1% of genetic variation—while proposing that what distinguishes humanity spiritually may be the “breath of life” described in scripture rather than physical evolution alone. Perego discusses recent findings about Neanderthal DNA in modern humans and suggests that reconciling science with faith requires understanding creation as a two-part process: the physical forming of the body and the spiritual endowment that makes us children of God.

William Pickett, a senior hardware engineer at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, presents both secular and spiritual arguments for space exploration. He outlines the practical benefits of NASA’s research—from technological spinoffs to economic returns and planetary defense against asteroids—before making the case that space technology may be divinely inspired for purposes yet to be revealed. Drawing on statements from LDS leaders including Joseph Fielding Smith and Russell M. Nelson, Pickett suggests that the outpouring of technological innovation since the Restoration serves God’s purposes, and that humanity may be preparing for the eventual creation and colonization of other worlds.

Adam Davis examines Nick Bostrom’s simulation argument through the lens of scientific realism. He observes that scientific realism requires modeling all of reality—including unobserved events—while simulation arguments assume we need only simulate human minds. Given chaos theory’s demonstration that minute changes can produce enormous effects, and quantum mechanics’ implication that every particle influences every other, Davis argues that simulating reality would require computational resources equal to the universe itself. While not dismissing simulation hypotheses outright, he notes their tension with the realist paradigm that has driven scientific and technological progress.

Brent Allsop introduces Canonizer, a consensus-building platform designed to help humanity navigate the expanding moral landscape of technological power. He argues that as our technological capabilities grow, so do the moral decisions we face—yet our current discourse around controversial topics is paralyzed by fear of polarization. Allsop proposes that individuals should be able to select their own trusted experts and then survey those experts’ collective views on any given issue, enabling everyone to benefit from the wisdom of specialists without being experts themselves. He highlights the Consciousness Survey Project as an example, noting that the emerging expert consensus on representational qualia theory aligns surprisingly well with Joseph Smith’s 19th-century descriptions of consciousness and spirit.

Carl Youngblood’s presentation, “Compassionate Obsolescence,” explores the challenges and opportunities arising from accelerating technological change. He contends that humans have always strived for improvement, a driving force behind transhumanism, and draws parallels between historical reactions to technological disruption and current anxieties around automation and job displacement. Youngblood highlights the impact of exponential growth in computing power, particularly Moore’s Law, and emphasizes the need to address the addictive nature of technology and find constructive uses for our cognitive surplus in this era of unprecedented transformation.

Chris Bradford, Vice President of the Mormon Transhumanist Association, tackles a theological puzzle: if God has a body of flesh and bones, yet that body can shine, hover, and pass through walls, what does “body” actually mean? He proposes a three-part definition of embodiment applicable across substrates: input (receiving sensory data from an environment), output (the ability to affect that environment), and a reflexive feedback loop (the self-referential pattern that constitutes consciousness). Drawing on Douglas Hofstadter’s work on strange loops and Antonio Damasio’s neuroscience of emotion, Bradford argues that mind uploading must preserve the body map that enables persistent selfhood. He concludes that embodiment extends infinitely in both directions—“bodies all the way down” and “bodies all the way up”—with our substrate perhaps being part of the body of God.

Chris Bradford offers practical strategies for introducing transhumanist ideas within LDS congregations while maintaining community bonds. Drawing on Jesus’s instruction to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves,” he emphasizes the importance of reassuring fellow members that one’s intent is to fulfill rather than destroy their faith. Bradford recommends grounding discussions in scripture, expressing unconventional perspectives in non-threatening ways, building bridges through shared language, and avoiding ego-driven arguments—all while communicating with an aesthetic that the community associates with the Holy Spirit.

Dan Wotherspoon, host of the Mormon Matters podcast and former editor of Sunstone Magazine, offers practical advice for Mormon transhumanists seeking to build relationships with potential allies who may not share their technological enthusiasms. Though impressed by transhumanist ideas and feeling a kinship with MTA members who hold expansive views of Mormon theology, Wotherspoon confesses to being something of a Luddite himself—skeptical that technology can shortcut genuine spiritual transformation. He encourages a graduated approach to messaging: in brief “elevator speeches,” emphasize shared LDS values and optimism about the future, saving discussions of body enhancement, simulation hypotheses, and resurrection technologies for later conversations when trust has been established.

Don Bradley, a historian specializing in Mormon origins, examines Joseph Smith’s identification of friendship as “the grand fundamental principle of Mormonism.” Drawing on LDS scripture—from the communal creation account in the Book of Abraham to Christ’s teachings against contention in 3 Nephi—Bradley argues that relationships of mutual support are essential to the divine nature, contrasting God as a harmonious community with Satan as the embodiment of antagonism. He connects this theological insight to Robert Wright’s concept of non-zero-sum games in evolution, suggesting that as human fates become increasingly linked, friendship and cooperation are not merely virtuous but necessary for civilization’s survival and progress toward the divine.