Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ThestatisticsinthisdocumentreflectthemembershipoftheMormonTranshumanist
Associationattheendof2014.
Content
MTAMemberSurvey2014Summary
Content
Membership
Location
Perspective
GodandtheProblemofEvil
ConsciousnessandSpiritualProperties
Feedback
Demographics
Membership
TotalMembership:481(asofDec31,2014)
SurveyParticipants:66
TranshumanistDeclaration
(1)Humanitystandstobeprofoundlyaffectedbyscienceandtechnologyinthefuture.We
envisionthepossibilityofbroadeninghumanpotentialbyovercomingaging,cognitive
shortcomings,involuntarysuffering,andourconfinementtoplanetEarth.
(2)Webelievethathumanityspotentialisstillmostlyunrealized.Therearepossible
scenariosthatleadtowonderfulandexceedinglyworthwhileenhancedhumanconditions.
(3)Werecognizethathumanityfacesseriousrisks,especiallyfromthemisuseofnew
technologies.Therearepossiblerealisticscenariosthatleadtothelossofmost,orevenall,
ofwhatweholdvaluable.Someofthesescenariosaredrastic,othersaresubtle.Althoughall
progressischange,notallchangeisprogress.
(4)Researcheffortneedstobeinvestedintounderstandingtheseprospects.Weneedto
carefullydeliberatehowbesttoreducerisksandexpeditebeneficialapplications.Wealso
needforumswherepeoplecanconstructivelydiscusswhatshouldbedone,andasocial
orderwhereresponsibledecisionscanbeimplemented.
(5)Reductionofexistentialrisks,anddevelopmentofmeansforthepreservationoflifeand
health,thealleviationofgravesuffering,andtheimprovementofhumanforesightandwisdom
shouldbepursuedasurgentpriorities,andheavilyfunded.
(6)Policymakingoughttobeguidedbyresponsibleandinclusivemoralvision,taking
seriouslybothopportunitiesandrisks,respectingautonomyandindividualrights,andshowing
solidaritywithandconcernfortheinterestsanddignityofallpeoplearoundtheglobe.We
mustalsoconsiderourmoralresponsibilitiestowardsgenerationsthatwillexistinthefuture.
(7)Weadvocatethewellbeingofallsentience,includinghumans,nonhumananimals,and
anyfutureartificialintellects,modifiedlifeforms,orotherintelligencestowhichtechnological
andscientificadvancemaygiverise.
(8)Wefavourallowingindividualswidepersonalchoiceoverhowtheyenabletheirlives.This
includesuseoftechniquesthatmaybedevelopedtoassistmemory,concentration,and
mentalenergylifeextensiontherapiesreproductivechoicetechnologiescryonics
proceduresandmanyotherpossiblehumanmodificationandenhancementtechnologies.
MormonTranshumanistAffirmation
(1)Weseekthespiritualandphysicalexaltationofindividualsandtheiranatomies,aswellas
communitiesandtheirenvironments,accordingtotheirwills,desiresandlaws,totheextent
theyarenotoppressive.
(2)Webelievethatscientificknowledgeandtechnologicalpowerareamongthemeans
ordainedofGodtoenablesuchexaltation,includingrealizationofdiversepropheticvisionsof
transfiguration,immortality,resurrection,renewalofthisworld,andthediscoveryandcreation
ofworldswithoutend.
(3)Wefeeladutytousescienceandtechnologyaccordingtowisdomandinspiration,to
identifyandprepareforrisksandresponsibilitiesassociatedwithfutureadvances,andto
persuadeotherstodolikewise.
Location
Perspective
GodandtheProblemofEvil
ConsciousnessandSpiritualProperties
Feedback
Reason
Demographics