21-22 October 2021 | Online

Political movement, philosophy of technology, worldview, way of thinking about the future of human life, or just an invention of science-fiction? What is transhumanism? What distinguishes it from post-humanism or cyborg theory? To propose this question again is neither useless nor rhetorical at all. Due to the current development of digital technologies and artificial intelligence, the debate on transhumanism is today more alive than ever. As Max More describes it, “transhumanism is a class of philosophies of life that seek the continuation and acceleration of the evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by life-promoting principles and values.” What are transhumanist values? Does transhumanism necessarily convey a political vision? The conference intends to explore the impact of transhumanism on our conception of subjectivity and human identity, and this starting not only from the pioneers (Huxley, Teilhard de Chardin, Minsky, More) but also from more recent authors (Bostrom, Kurzweil, Savulescu, etc.). The conference intends also to open a new debate on a very complex issue. It is a crucial debate because it is deeply connected with digital technology and the future of artificial intelligence.

Keynote speakers

• Luca M. Possati, University of Porto 

• Maria João Couto, University of Porto

• Newton Lee, Institute for Education, Research & Scholarships (USA)

• Paul Jorion, Catholic University of Lille

• Robert Frodeman, University of North Texas

• Tiago Carvalho, University of Porto

In addition to the keynote speakers there will be sessions with communications and debates.

PROGRAM

21 October 2021
 

9h00 - 9h30 | Greetings and introduction

9h30 - 10h10 | Paul Jorion (Catholic University of Lille): “Transhumanism and the Future of Humanity”

10h10 - 10h30 | Discussion

10h30 - 11h10 Maria João Couto (University of Porto): “The post-human condition. Statements on uncertainty”

11h10 - 11h30 | Discussion

11h30 - 12h10 | Steven Gouveia (University of Minho): “A critical analysis of the mind-uploading hypothesis”

12h10 - 12h30 | Discussion
 

12h30 - 15h00 |  Lunch Break
 

15h00 - 15h40 | Robert Frodeman (University of North Texas): “Hyper-Modernity or Post-Modernity: On Whether More Science and Technology is a Good Idea”

15h40 - 16h00 | Discussion

16h00 - 16h20 | Anna Puzio (Munich School of Philosophy): “The Human Being as an Algorithm – An Examination of Transhumanism and its Anthropology”

16h20 - 16h40 | Bertrand Guillaume (University of Technology of Troyes, European University of Technology): “Teilhardian Thought and Charbonneau’s Critique in Retrospect: A Philosophical Inquiry into Transhumanism in the Anthropocene”

16h40 - 17h00 |  Roman Krzanowski, Pawel Polak (Pontifical University of John Paul II): “Novacene: James Lovelock’s vision of Transhumanism”

17h00 - 18h00 | Discussion

22 October 2021
 

9h00 - 9h40 | Newton Lee (Institute for Education, Research, and Scholarship): “Is Transhumanism the answer to UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?”

9h40 - 10h00 | Discussion

10h00 - 10h40 | Luca Possati (University of Porto): “Four criticisms of Transhumanism”

10h40 - 11h00 | Discussion

11h00 - 11h40 | Tiago Carvalho (University of Porto): “Technological Gnosticism and ‘Nontade’ in Hermínio Martins”

11h40 - 12h00 | Discussion
 

12h00 - 15h00 | Lunch Break
 

15h00 - 15h20 | Kamila Kwapińska (Centre for Critical Thought, University of Kent): “The Political Agency of Robots and Technological Evolution”

15h20 - 15h40 | Jaroslav Malík (University of Hradec Králové): “Wrestling with the posthuman: Understanding the relationship between technology and human autonomy”

15h40 - 16h00 | Cian Brennan (University of Glasgow): “Moderate Enhancement: A Non-Radical Path to Radical Enhancement”

16h00 - 16h20 | Discussion

Final Greetings

Organization
Luca M. Possati (IF-UP)
Paula Cristina Pereira (IF-UP)
RG Aesthetics, Politics & Knowledge (APK)
RG Philosophy and Public Space (PPS)
Instituto de Filosofia da Universidade do Porto - FIL/00502
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT)
U.Porto e Banco Santander - Programa Santander Universidades