Ep. 32 - Designing the Future with Natasha Vita-More
In this installment of the Future Grind podcast host Ryan O’Shea sits down with Natasha Vita-More, Ph.D. Natasha has done a lot - she’s an artist, designer, author, and speaker. She is co-editor of The Transhumanist Reader: Classical and Contemporary Essays on the Science, Technology and Philosophy of the Human Future, and is the author of the brand new book TRANSHUMANISM: What is it?. In 2015 she served as the lead scientist on published research into the memory retention of C. elegans nematodes after cryopreservation, which could have important implications for cryonics. Natasha currently serves as a professor at the University of Advancing Technology, as well as the Executive Director of Humanity Plus, a nonprofit organization which advocates for the ethical use of emerging technologies to improve human capabilities, and one which Ryan is also involved with (to join Humanity Plus, click here).
They discuss Natasha’s background and her path to transhumanist philosophy, her concept for a whole body prosthetic, the future of Humanity Plus, and more.
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Show Notes
What is Transhumanism? [1:57]
Natasha’s Background [4:24]
The Primo Posthuman Whole Body Prosthetic [13:36]
Overcoming A Reluctance to Change [22:59]
The Transhumanist Reader [26:15]
Life Expansion: Beyond the Biological [30:27]
The Future of Humanity Plus [31:40]
How to Get Involved with Humanity Plus [37:36]
What is Cryonics? [38:34]
Natasha’s C. Elegan’s Memory Research [41:49]
Natasha’s Longevity Strategies [44:49 ]
Where to Find Out More [46:44]
Mentioned
Stan Brakhage (filmmaker)
Bikram Yoga
FM-2030, Woman in the Year 2000
Extropy Institute
Eric Drexler
Hans Moravec
Ralph Merkle
Ben Goertzel
Peter Voss
”DON'T DIE, STAY PRETTY.” Wired Magazine, 2000
The Transhumanist Reader
- Nick Bostrom
- Anders Sandberg
- Martine Rothblatt
- Marvin Minsky
- Aubrey de Grey
- Vernor Vinge
- Ray Kurzweil
N Katherine Hayles
Metanexus
- Transhumanism and Its Critics
Max More
Future of Humanity Institute
Christine Peterson - Foresight Institute
Sophia the Robot
Alcor Life Extension Foundation
Rejuvenation Research journal
Life Extension
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