Ethical Technology http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/IEETblog Promoting the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities http://ieet.org/images/ieet.jpg Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/IEETblog Promoting the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities en hankpellissier@yahoo.com Copyright 2012 2012-05-24T13:28:38+00:00 Ayesha Khanna interviewed by NY Times http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/pellissier20120524 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/pellissier20120524#When:13:28:38Z IEET Fellow Ayesha Khanna was interviewed recently by the New York Times technology section, on the topic of “human-technology co-evolution in the Hybrid Age.” The article can be viewed HERE 

]]> Life > Innovation > Implants > Vision > Futurism > Fellows > Ayesha Khanna]]> IEET Fellow Ayesha Khanna was interviewed recently by the New York Times technology section, on the topic of “human-technology co-evolution in the Hybrid Age.” The article can be viewed HERE 

]]> 2012-05-24T13:28:38+00:00 David Brin’s EXISTENCE: Official Trailer http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/davidbrinsexistence20120524 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/davidbrinsexistence20120524#When:12:57:58Z Bestselling, award-winning futurist David Brin returns to globe-spanning, high concept SF with EXISTENCE.



Gerald Livingston is an orbital garbage collector. For a hundred years, people have been abandoning things in space, and someone has to clean it up. But there’s something spinning a little bit higher than he expects, something that isn’t on the decades’ old orbital maps. An hour after he grabs it and brings it in, rumors fill Earth’s infomesh about an “alien artifact.”

Thrown into the maelstrom of worldwide shared experience, the Artifact is a game-changer. A message in a bottle; an alien capsule that wants to communicate. The world reacts as humans always do: with fear and hope and selfishness and love and violence. And insatiable curiosity.

]]> Security > SpaceThreats > Vision > Galactic > Fellows > David Brin]]> Bestselling, award-winning futurist David Brin returns to globe-spanning, high concept SF with EXISTENCE.



Gerald Livingston is an orbital garbage collector. For a hundred years, people have been abandoning things in space, and someone has to clean it up. But there’s something spinning a little bit higher than he expects, something that isn’t on the decades’ old orbital maps. An hour after he grabs it and brings it in, rumors fill Earth’s infomesh about an “alien artifact.”

Thrown into the maelstrom of worldwide shared experience, the Artifact is a game-changer. A message in a bottle; an alien capsule that wants to communicate. The world reacts as humans always do: with fear and hope and selfishness and love and violence. And insatiable curiosity.

]]> 2012-05-24T12:57:58+00:00 How to Talk to an Alien http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/talktoanalien20120524 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/talktoanalien20120524#When:11:14:34Z What would you say to an alien? Bill Nye, aka, ‘The Science Guy,’ who heads The Planetary Society, an organization that fosters ways for the public to be actively involved in space exploration, including the search for extraterrestrial life.

]]> Security > SpaceThreats > Rights > Personhood > Vision > Galactic]]> What would you say to an alien? Bill Nye, aka, ‘The Science Guy,’ who heads The Planetary Society, an organization that fosters ways for the public to be actively involved in space exploration, including the search for extraterrestrial life.

]]> 2012-05-24T11:14:34+00:00 Leo Igwe Religion, Witch Hunts, Homophobia and Human Rights in Africa http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/igwe20120524 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/igwe20120524#When:11:01:08Z Religious laws are legalized religious doctrines. They are “revelations” turned into rules to govern society. Religious laws are sacred dogma institutionalized. They are sins criminalized. They are religious hatred, intolerance, discrimination and fanaticism turned into state policies.

]]> Rights > FreeThought > Life > Health > Vision > Futurism > Contributors > Leo Igwe]]> Religious laws are legalized religious doctrines. They are “revelations” turned into rules to govern society. Religious laws are sacred dogma institutionalized. They are sins criminalized. They are religious hatred, intolerance, discrimination and fanaticism turned into state policies.

]]> 2012-05-24T11:01:08+00:00 Arthur Caplan At-Home HIV Test Raises Ethical Questions http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/caplan20120524 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/caplan20120524#When:10:42:00Z A test to determine if you are infected with HIV should be made available over-the-counter, a federal advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended.

]]> Security > Biosecurity > Rights > Privacy > Life > Access > Enablement > Health > Trustees > Arthur Caplan]]> A test to determine if you are infected with HIV should be made available over-the-counter, a federal advisory panel to the Food and Drug Administration has recommended.

]]> 2012-05-24T10:42:00+00:00 ‪Human Trafficking of Sex Workers‬ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/humantraffickingofsexworkers20120523 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/humantraffickingofsexworkers20120523#When:09:19:21Z Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor; a modern-day form of slavery. It is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest, after the drug-trade.

]]> Rights > Personhood > Economic > Life > Access > Health]]> Human trafficking is the illegal trade in human beings for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation or forced labor; a modern-day form of slavery. It is the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, tied with the illegal arms industry as the second largest, after the drug-trade.

]]> 2012-05-23T09:19:21+00:00 Owen Nicholas Sex Work – Demeaning Practice or Basic Human Right? http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/nicholas20120523 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/nicholas20120523#When:09:01:35Z As one of the world’s oldest professions, prostitution has historically often been relegated to the dark corners of human society, scarcely mentioned and generally ignored as much as possible. When it does emerge into mainstream discourse it is inevitably followed by the predictable group polemics which accompany almost every social issue of our time, generating fierce and often entrenched debate across the political spectrum.

]]> Rights > Economic > Life > Access > Health > Contributors > Owen Nicholas]]> As one of the world’s oldest professions, prostitution has historically often been relegated to the dark corners of human society, scarcely mentioned and generally ignored as much as possible. When it does emerge into mainstream discourse it is inevitably followed by the predictable group polemics which accompany almost every social issue of our time, generating fierce and often entrenched debate across the political spectrum.

]]> 2012-05-23T09:01:35+00:00 Giulio Prisco Yes, I Am a Believer http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/prisco20120523 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/prisco20120523#When:08:45:42Z I frequently write and talk about things at the intersection of science and religion, spirituality and technology, and I am often asked if I am a believer. I used to give complicated, intellectual answers, but now I prefer giving a simple answer. My answer is YES, I am a believer.

]]> Life > Innovation > Vision > Galactic > Directors > Giulio Prisco]]> I frequently write and talk about things at the intersection of science and religion, spirituality and technology, and I am often asked if I am a believer. I used to give complicated, intellectual answers, but now I prefer giving a simple answer. My answer is YES, I am a believer.

]]> 2012-05-23T08:45:42+00:00 We Are Borg http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/weareborg20120522 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/weareborg20120522#When:16:09:30Z The Borg - developed from both organic and artificial life, now existing as a collective hive, from Star Trek

]]> Life > Innovation > Implants > Vision > Futurism > Galactic]]> The Borg - developed from both organic and artificial life, now existing as a collective hive, from Star Trek

]]> 2012-05-22T16:09:30+00:00 Travis James Leland We are the Borg… And That is a Good Thing http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/leland20120521 http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/leland20120521#When:13:09:10Z Let’s be real. The majority of transhumanists, scientists, astronomers, computer specialists, etc. became interested in their fields of study through their interest in science-fiction.  We know the story of how cellphones were designed with Star Trek‘s communicators in mind, as were tablet computers, ebooks, and other new technologies. That has all been well-documented and I’m relatively certain that it is not news to most of us.  Star Trek has been very influential in my life, guiding my thought processes in many areas, like physics, astronomy, quantum mechanics - even politics and economics.  Part 2 of the Casual Transhuman.

]]> Life > Enablement > Innovation > Implants > Vision > Futurism > Contributors > Travis James Leland]]> Let’s be real. The majority of transhumanists, scientists, astronomers, computer specialists, etc. became interested in their fields of study through their interest in science-fiction.  We know the story of how cellphones were designed with Star Trek‘s communicators in mind, as were tablet computers, ebooks, and other new technologies. That has all been well-documented and I’m relatively certain that it is not news to most of us.  Star Trek has been very influential in my life, guiding my thought processes in many areas, like physics, astronomy, quantum mechanics - even politics and economics.  Part 2 of the Casual Transhuman.

]]> 2012-05-22T13:09:10+00:00