IEET Global Security News http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/secure Cybersecurity, surviving the Singularity, pandemic disease, asteroids, war, terrorism, climate change, existential risks, hunger, black holes, and the heat death of the universe http://ieet.org/images/ieet.jpg Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/secure Promoting the ethical use of technology to expand human capacities en director@ieet.org Copyright 2008 2008-05-09T16:59:00-05:00 Jamais Cascio Pondering Fermi http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080505/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080505/#When:15:01:00Z The Fermi Paradox—if there’s other intelligent life in the galaxy, given how long the galaxy’s been here, how come we haven’t seen any indication of it?—is an important puzzle for those of us who like to think ahead. Setting aside the mystical (we’re all that was created by a higher being) and fundamentally unprovable (we’re all living in a simulation), we’re left with two unpalatable options: we’re the first intelligent species to arise; or no civilization ever makes it long enough. 

]]> Security > Vision > Futurism > Fellows > Jamais Cascio]]> 2008-05-06T15:01:00-05:00 Twitter, Annihilation and a Dude Pill http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/sd20080429/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/sd20080429/#When:02:22:02Z This episode:

# An overview of my recent talk at the Center for Inquiry
# Discussing Twitter and Google Apps
# Part 3 of my Fermi Paradox talk: Possible solutions and next steps
# Why the male birth-control pill is so important for men; sorry, ladies—this pill isn’t about you

]]> Security > Rights > ReproRights > Directors > George Dvorsky]]> 2008-04-30T02:22:02-05:00 Jamais Cascio Feedback, Tipping Points, and Hard Choices http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080429/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080429/#When:16:51:00Z I have one thing to say: depopulation is not a global warming strategy.

]]> Security > Eco-gov > Fellows > Jamais Cascio]]> 2008-04-29T16:51:00-05:00 George Dvorsky Nick Bostrom: “Why I hope the search for extraterrestrial life finds nothing.” http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20080428/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/dvorsky20080428/#When:13:24:00Z Transhumanist philosopher (and IEET Chair) Nick Bostrom desperately hopes that we never find signs of extraterrestrial life—advanced or otherwise.  Why? Because he understands the Fermi Paradox.

]]> Security > Vision > Futurism > Directors > George Dvorsky]]> 2008-04-28T13:24:00-05:00 Nick Bostrom Why I hope the search for extraterrestrial life finds nothing http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/bostrom20080428/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/bostrom20080428/#When:16:31:00Z If we are alone it may be evidence that we have sneaked past the huge hurdles in the way of any species becoming an intelligent star-faring civilization. Then again, we could still be extinguished at any moment. 

]]> Security > Vision > Futurism > Directors > Nick Bostrom]]> 2008-04-27T16:31:00-05:00 Mike Treder Geoengineering: Go slow!  Carbon reduction: Hurry! http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/treder20080425/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/treder20080425/#When:17:33:01Z We need a crash development program for wind, solar, tidal, wave, geothermal - and possibly nuclear - energy infrastructures. Geo-engineering is too risky except as an absolute last resort.

]]> Security > Eco-gov > Life > Innovation > Fellows > Mike Treder]]> 2008-04-25T17:33:01-05:00 Jamais Cascio The Earth Will Be Just Fine, Thank You http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080423/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/cascio20080423/#When:22:02:01Z The grand myth of environmentalism is that it’s all about saving the Earth. It’s not. The Earth will be just fine. Environmentalism is all about saving ourselves.

]]> Security > Eco-gov > Fellows > Jamais Cascio]]> 2008-04-23T22:02:01-05:00 J. Hughes Millennial Tendencies in Responses to Apocalyptic Threats http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/hughes20080414/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/hughes20080414/#When:22:26:00Z Abstract: Popular discussion of utopian possibilities and apocalyptic risks from new technologies is sometimes dismissed as ungrounded millennial hysteria. In this essay I reflect on the various types of historic, pancultural millennialism. I then suggest how contemporary forms of secular techno-utopian and techno-apocalyptic discourse reflect these millennialist types and their characteristic biases to over- or under-estimate catastrophic risks, and adopt fatalistic or inappropriate stances toward risk reduction. Then I suggest that awareness of these characteristic millennialist cognitive biases help us separate grounded assessments of catastrophic risks from their attendant psycho-cultural baggage. By carefully parsing our hopes and fears about the future from the characteristic dysfunctions of millennialism we can tap millennialism’s energy without being led astray by it. (Download the PDF)

]]> Security > Vision > Futurism > J. Hughes]]> 2008-04-14T22:26:00-05:00 Is War Inevitable? http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/csrwar20080412/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/csrwar20080412/#When:14:34:00Z Science journalist John Horgan rejects the idea that human aggression and war are inevitable. (See his article “Has Science Found a Way to End All Wars?”) He marshals evidence that we may be able to evolve beyond war. (MP3)

]]> Security > Military > J. Hughes > CSR]]> 2008-04-13T14:34:00-05:00 Mike Treder Civilization’s Demise http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/treder20080412/ http://ieet.org/index.php/IEET/more/treder20080412/#When:13:51:00Z Our global civilization is very fragile, and could crumble under the impact of catastrophic events. Wise use of emerging technologies could make our bodies, our communities and our civilization more resilient, or more vulnerable to collapse.

]]> Security > Fellows > Mike Treder]]> 2008-04-12T13:51:00-05:00