Mormon Transhumanist Association

After a brief hiatus, our meetup is starting up again, under the leadership of Steven Christiansen, who is eager to help us organize some great local gatherings. Thank you, Steve! For this first event, we want to open the discussion to anything that's on your mind related to Mormon transhumanism and any related topics. Come with your burning questions and ideas.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount on our meetup page:

https://www.meetup.com/transfigurism-utah-valley/events/302140665/

This month's meetup discussion will be led by an out-of-town guest, Cesar Garcia, author of "A New Zion across the Sea," and Returning to the Empyrean. Don't miss it!

Please RSVP for proper headcount https://buff.ly/3UUfZ5y

Don't miss MTAConf this Saturday! Register at with discount code MTAFRIEND for half off.

We'll also be gathering the day after to discuss it at our traditional post-conference meetup. RSVP at:https://buff.ly/43TAcuZ

MTAConf 2024 AI and machine learning are transforming our world. Will humanity rise to the challenge of this apocalyptic moment?

Topic: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Truth by Dan and McKay Moore

Last month we were competing with the Super Bowl so we are inviting back Dan & McKay to revisit this topic!

What templates of thought have helped you find/approach truth? For example, types of truth such as reasoned, discovered, & revealed truth and preparatory & absolute truth; sources of truth such as observations & interpretations and God's Words & Works; pitfalls such as fundamentalism & dogmatism; goals such as being a scholarly disciple; etc.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount. https://buff.ly/3TcRgao

Yes, the world is full of weeping, but there are also many wonders.

We are thrilled to announce our MTAConf keynote speakers: Benjamin Peters and Irina Rish. One of our core aims is to foster respectful dialog across different ideologies and perspectives. We typically invite Mormon and transhumanist keynote speakers.

Benjamin Peters is a media scholar. The author and editor of three books and as many major prizes, he is the Hazel Rogers Associate Professor and Chair of Media Studies at the University of Tulsa, affiliated fellow at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School, and holds a PhD from Columbia University. The President of the Mormon Scholars in the Humanities, he is currently writing a book on the Soviet prehistory to artificial intelligence, from which his talk draws.

Irina Rish is a Full Professor in the Computer Science and Operations Research department at the Université de Montréal (UdeM) and a core member of Mila – Quebec AI Institute. She holds the Canada CIFAR AI Chair and the Canadian Excellence Research Chair in Autonomous AI. She holds MSc and PhD in AI from University of California, Irvine and MSc in Applied Mathematics from Moscow Gubkin Institute. Dr. Rish’s research focus is on machine learning, neural data analysis and neuroscience-inspired AI. Before joining UdeM and Mila in 2019, she was a research scientist at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Center, where she worked on various projects at the intersection of neuroscience and AI, and led the Neuro-AI challenge. Dr. Rish holds 64 patents, has published over 80 research papers, several book chapters, three edited books, and a monograph on sparse modeling.

Early-bird tickets are available until the end of February. Register now!

Topic: Lessons Learned in the Pursuit of Truth by Dan and McKay Moore

What templates of thought have helped you find/approach truth? For example, types of truth such as reasoned, discovered, & revealed truth and preparatory & absolute truth; sources of truth such as observations & interpretations and God's Words & Works; pitfalls such as fundamentalism & dogmatism; goals such as being a scholarly disciple; etc.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount. https://buff.ly/3SNkiyp

For those who can't attend in person, we also stream the meetup

Come watch Carl Youngblood and Lincoln Cannon interview Bryan Johnson for . Bryan has been doing some amazing work developing a protocol for living longer and healthier. We'll be asking all those burning questions and opening it up for Q&A. Thanks to Trent Mano, Scott Paul et al for supporting this!

“Don't Die” featuring Bryan Johnson, presented by Phi · Luma Bryan Johnson has been documenting his health journey and his quest to reverse aging. He's obviously got the world's attention, gaining millions of followers across his social media. After...

Meetup: Lightning Talks
Bring something great that you read recently, an interesting or inspiring idea or thought, a goal or project you have for the new year, or something you recently wrote and share it with the group. We look forward to hearing your unique contributions!

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount. https://buff.ly/3He0Bcv

Monthly Meetup: Mormonism's Radically Egalitarian Conception of Prophecy
discussion led by Carl Youngblood

This month's meetup discussion will be led by MTA President Carl Youngblood.

When asked by a journalist if he was a prophet of God, Joseph Smith said, "Yes, and so is anyone else with the testimony of Jesus." Although many Latter-Day Saints sometimes imply a certain exclusivity when they refer to the LDS Church President as "The Prophet," Mormon theology actually embraces a radically egalitarian conception of prophecy as something that every diligent seeker is entitled to.

At our meetup this weekend, Carl looks forward to exploring this concept with you all and exploring how we can respond prophetically to the needs of our own generation.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount. https://buff.ly/46MAPXd

For those who can't attend in person, we also stream the meetup.

Mormonism's Radically Egalitarian Conception of Prophecy led by Carl Youngblood, Sun, Dec 10, 2023, 8:00 PM | Meetup Topic: Mormonism's Radically Egalitarian Conception of Prophecy This month's meetup discussion will be led by MTA President Carl Youngblood. When asked by a journalist if

This month we’re grateful to have MTA co-founder, Lincoln Cannon, leading us in a discussion about The Consolation, a modern retelling of Joseph Smith’s seminal sermon given at the funeral of King Follett. This discussion will cover many of the theological treasures in Mormonism that are core to the mission of the MTA and particularly important for the world (and Latter-day Saints) to understand now. Don’t miss it!

Register at: https://buff.ly/3SzssLf

Meetup: The Things We Forgot: A Traditionalist Critique of Transhumanism

Disscusion lead by Zachary Davis.

Next month, we have the privilege of engaging in a lively discussion with Zachary Davis, Editor of Wayfare Magazine and Executive Director of the Faith Matters Foundation. Zach will be in town following the Restore Conference, and has graciously agreed to engage with us on the topic of the value of tradition and some of the downsides of modernity and technology. I’m sure this will be a fascinating and fun discussion. Please note that we are meeting on the third Sunday of the month instead of the usual second Sunday to accommodate Zach’s schedule.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP on Meetup to see the location. That will also help us to have a proper headcount for the food.
For those who can't attend in person, we also stream the meetup.
RSVP on MeetUp:
https://buff.ly/3Lt1PTx

Meetup: Reforming Healthcare through Systems Thinking by Chad Swanson

Chad Swanson is an ER doctor who has spent much of his career advocating for systems thinking as a way to reform healthcare. He will be presenting a 12-minute talk at TEDx Midvale on Oct 25 and has agreed to give this talk at the MTA meetup. This will be a chance to test out the topic on a live audience, along with ample time for questions and discussion. This is sure to be an interesting discussion. Don’t miss it!

RSVP for the meetup location or zoom link: https://buff.ly/3qUyJWc

"In the quest for artificial intelligence, will these new spiritual creations honor their parents or leave humanity behind?"

Read MTA President Carl Youngblood's thoughts on the ethical and theological implications of recent advances in the field of artificial intelligence, published today in Wayfare Magazine.

Algorithmic Advent Great Expectations on the Verge of AGI

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Roselle Stevenson resigns from the MTA Board

Mormon Transhumanist Association The Mormon Transhumanist Association promotes abundant flourishing through the compassionate use of science and technology.

Monthly Meetup: Why I'm a Mormon Transhumanist: Thoughts from MTA Co-Founder Karl Hale

Next month we'll be hearing from renowned wood artist and MTA co-founder Karl Hale about what led him to become a co-founder of the Association, how it informs his religious views, and how it continues to inspire him today. Karl's perspective as a practicing Latter-day Saint who finds the Association's message compelling will be an intriguing one you won't want to miss. This is also a chance to learn more about the origins of the Association. RSVP for the meetup location or zoom link https://buff.ly/3ESwYNM .

Next month we are lucky to have former MTA director Michael Ferguson in town to share his latest research in the emerging field of neurospirituality, which is the study of human spirituality using applied methods from neuroscience. Dr. Ferguson is an Instructor in Neurology at Harvard Medical School.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP on Meetup to see the location. That will also help us to have a proper headcount for the food.

For those who can't attend in person, we also stream the meetup.
RSVP on MeetUp: https://buff.ly/42A8P6M

Meetup: One Great Whole: An Exploration of the Alien as the Self in Mormon Science Fiction

Mormon science fiction writers are more likely to look at aliens as a mirror of themselves, perhaps slightly changed but ultimately reconcilable and part of a unity of creation. Examine how this conception of the alien as a part of the self has distinguished Mormon science fiction writers, including stories written for a Latter-day Saint audience as well as those written for a national market.

Liz Busby is a writer of speculative fiction and creative nonfiction, as well as book reviews and other literary criticism, particularly about the intersection between Mormonism and science fiction/fantasy. She enjoys long-distance running, cooking, knitting, and escape rooms. Liz recently moved from Bellevue, Washington, back to her home state of Utah, where she lives in Highland with her husband and their four children. Follow her writing on https://buff.ly/3oGldVa or on Twitter .

Register at: https://buff.ly/3qnBv5S

Meetup: Prosocial Evolution: Why Evolution Is a Collective Process by Jordan Harmon

Over the last 20 years, biologists and psychologists have made leaps in understanding human evolution. Their insights are already empowering people to co-create the kind of world we want to live in. Join us to see how you can use the latest research in evolution to live a life full of creativity and compassion.
Jordan K Harmon has worked as an licensed clinical social worker for nearly 15 years. He is currently 1 of 6 people in the state of Utah that is a Linehan Board Certified DBT therapist and has a long-term interest in collective approaches to healing.
We look forward to seeing you there!
Let us know if you're coming at:
https://www.facebook.com/events/977134713731171

Next month we're thrilled to hear from writer David John Butler, an LDS speculative fiction author who publishes under the pen name DJ Butler. David's books have won several awards, including the Dragon Award for Best Alternate History Novel, the AML Award for Best Novel, and the Whitney award for Best Speculative Fiction. More detail, along with a list of his numerous books, can be found on his Wikipedia entry. David was originally brought to our attention by his work as editor of a Mormon steampunk anthology, Press Forward Saints. We look forward to hearing David's thoughts about transhumanism, as well as his insights into the creative process he employs in writing his books.

Please arrive promptly at 8pm. We are responding to feedback and will be experimenting with a more on-time start and a time-boxed hour-long Q&A session after the presentation, followed by breaking up into smaller groups for those who wish to continue discussing specific topics raised but have a better chance of getting a word in.

We also want to thank Jon Ogden for being willing to help organize our upcoming meetups.

We are pleased to announce the launch of our new website, a unified resource for all content and events. Based on beautiful animated artwork from Canopy Design, the site conveys hope for a positive future in which humanity employs its creative powers in harmony with nature. Our inspiring call to action is: What Will You Create? It invites visitors to consider their latent capacity as children of God to build a better world together.

Along with the launch we've published expanded versions of our primers on Mormon Transhumanism, which will help newcomers and long-time members become more familiar with our message. This new website consolidates all functionality into a single customized user experience, including educational content, blog posts, publications, donations, merch, subscriptions and membership.

Please sign in using the same email address you've used previously, which will automatically recognize your existing membership and subscription status. There is still more to finish on the website, but we'd love to hear your initial feedback.

https://buff.ly/3JMjZOJ

This month we have the privilege of having CTA President Micah Redding lead a discussion in person. He will be sharing some fascinating ideas about the epistemology of early Christianity. In particular, he will explain how early Christians like Paul downplayed various appeals to existing traditions, rituals and authorities by recognizing all of them as tentative, generative processes designed to move us towards greater goodness, character and wisdom over time. See this twitter thread for more details:

https://buff.ly/3ZB3TO0

Micah is an inspiring public speaker—you won't want to miss this.

Please RSVP on meetup to get the address/zoom link and so we have an accurate headcount:

https://buff.ly/41GCPyU

Special Movie Screening of Eternity at Last

February's Meetup will be a screening of a new film instead of our normal fare. We'll be showing Eternity at Last, a new movie that includes several scenes of an interview with our own co-founder, Lincoln Cannon, as well as several other luminaries in transhumanism.
Because of copyright, we are not able to stream this event as we usually do, so it will only be available to those who can attend in person.

See you on Febuary 12th 8pm Mountain time.
Refreshments will be provided. Please RSVP for proper headcount.

Special Movie Screening of Eternity at Last, Sun, Feb 12, 2023, 8:00 PM | Meetup Find Meetup events so you can do more of what matters to you. Or create your own group and meet people near you who share your interests.

Topic: Plates, Proxies, and Transfiguration: Exploring the 'Materialization' Model of the Golden Plates, discussion led by Don Bradley

For our first meetup of the new year, we have a fascinating discussion with Mormon historian Don Bradley, who will be sharing insights about the materialization model of the Book of Mormon (introduced by professor Ann Taves at UC Santa Barbara) and how it can inform our understanding of concepts like proxy ordinances and transfiguration. This has important ramifications both for Latter-Day Saints and for transhumanist visions of humanity's future.

Please RSVP at https://buff.ly/3G4EZzu, so we have a proper headcount.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided.

Topic: Building Spiritually Nourishing Communities:
Wayfare Magazine, Faith Matters and the Future of Mormon Media

discussion led by Zachary Davis, Executive Director, Faith Matters Foundation

December's meetup will take place on a different Sunday of the month in order to accommodate the schedule of our guest, Zachary Davis, Executive Director of the Faith Matters Foundation, who will be presenting the following topic:
"Building Spiritually Nourishing Communities: Wayfare Magazine, Faith Matters and the Future of Mormon Media."
The Faith Matters Foundation has been gaining a wider audience of Latter-Day Saints who are seeking a more honest and courageous approach to questions of faith without abandoning the Latter-Day Saint tradition. These kinds of topics are of great interest to our Association as well, and we look forward to having an insightful discussion with you all.

Please RSVP at https://buff.ly/3UNM8cp, so we have a proper headcount.

See you at 8pm Mountain time. Refreshments will be provided.

Topic: Making Sci-Fi 3D a Reality: An Introduction to Holography
presentation by BYU Professor Daniel Smalley

Thanks to everyone for a lively and invigorating discussion at our October meetup!

Next month we are fortunate to have BYU Professor Daniel Smalley talk to us about holography. The classic cultural reference for this technology is R2D2's hologram of Princess Leia asking Obi Wan for help. Professor Smalley will show us some examples and talk about advances and challenges in the field. Join us for a fascinating presentation and some stimulating discussion afterwards.

Refreshments provided. RSVP to get the in-person address or zoom link, and to help us have a proper headcount:
RSVP HERE: https://buff.ly/3TCEuki
And be sure to bring a friend!

See you at 8pm Mountain time.