I’ve always loved science fiction and read countless classics (and not so classic) in the genre. To bring us more up to date, Gibson, Stephenson and Stross et al have joined the list and I now feel significantly geeky to write here without losing too much face.

Considering in my middle years returning to full-time education, my first foray into the heady world of technoprogressivism was Alison Attrill’s tome on Cyberpsychology [1], which may not have been the most suitable introduction but which none the less peaked my interest. This led me to investigate the convergence of merging technologies with their social consequences and the field of transhumanism. I have since tried to initiate myself into its myriad and labyrinth aims and ideals, trying all the while to try to think as a scientist would and evaluate for myself the issues raised by breakthroughs in AGI, nanotechnology, biotechnology, genetic engineering, ethics, existential risk et al generate. Some of it does seem to be sinking in, although much of it is still way over my head. I comfort myself by reminding myself of Feynman’s famous quote, ‘If you think you understand quantum mechanics, you don’t understand quantum mechanics.’ Just replace quantum mechanics with any of the aforementioned and you have a good idea of where I’m was at (and arguably still am).

Nonetheless, drawing a deep breath, I purchased Max More and Natasha Vita-More’s ‘The Transhumanist Reader’ and proceeded upon my journey into better understanding the science, technology and philosophy concerned with the human future. ‘Citizen Cyborg’ was next, with James Hughes concretising my personal, if still somewhat vague, thoughts on what I’d like transhumanism to be. Others included Verner Vinge’s ‘The Coming of the Technological Singularity,’ Ray Kurzweil’s ‘The Singularity is Near,’ Michael Anisimov's ‘Our Accelerating Futures,’ Woods and Alexandra’s [eds] ‘Envisioning Politics 2.0’ and Wood’s ‘Anticipating Tomorrow’s Politics.’ I’ve also scoured the net for reading material - lots of Kurzweil, Goertzel, Bostrom, Minsky, Pearce, Hughes and even, dare I say it, ‘The Transhumanist Wager.’ Next on my list is Drexler. [2]

Now you may not know this, but the internet is a very big place and I’m like an amoeba in a very large pond. YouTube alone has served up a positive cornucopia of relevant information and I know I’ve only scratched the surface.

So here I am, a mere man among giants, requesting your help.

If you had to recommend, let’s say, five must-read books on transhumanism ideally not mentioned above, what would they be? A couple of caveats: anything containing too many equations essential to understanding the matter at hand is likely to lead to glazed eyes or even spontaneous combustion as my brain attempts to do the impossible. I like to think I’ve moved on a bit from ‘Jane and John and the Coming Singularity’ but Einstein I ain’t, although by now I probably don’t need to tell you that.

If five’s too many (or not enough) by all means quantify accordingly. Even if it’s that one essential primer you feel that everyone interested in the subject should read, I’d be happy to take that on board. In spite of my slightly tongue-in-cheek approach, I’m deadly serious about educating myself about technoprogressivism and transhuman (for those that don’t feel the two are the same). As such, I would really appreciate any ideas you can lob my way - online material, YouTube videos, podcasts, blogs - anything to bring me up to, if not speed, then at least a brisk walk in the transhumanist terrain.

I’d genuinely appreciate any ideas, suggestions or pointers to relevant material. Albert Camus wrote, ‘The evil that is in the world almost always comes of ignorance, and good intentions may do as much harm as malevolence if they lack understanding.’ I’d hate to think my lack of knowledge led to some bad decisions being taken or mediocre ideas being forwarded. Ideally I want to be fully participating in the discussions and debates surrounding transhumanist ideas, which may seem a long shot, but I could be that little closer to that ideal with your help. To that end, I would like to thank in advance anyone who can take the time out of your no doubt considerably more hectic social diaries than my own (visit dentist sometime in May 2015 is my next reminder) to help this technoprogressive-in-becoming to become someone a little more enlightened and a little less apprehensive in throwing my two-penneth into the ring.

And to all those of you producing this information in the first place, thank you. You’ve helped me enrich my life at a point where I thought there was little left in this world to interest and captivate me. How wrong I was. Suddenly how much brighter the future seems. Unless, of course, we wipe ourselves out in some cataclysmic catastrophe caused by someone’s misjudgement or inaccurate interpretation of data etc. I’d hate for that to be me. Luckily for future generations it’s unlikely to be me, but you get my point. Education. Education. Education - as someone said who I believe started out with the best of intentions but ended up helping lead us into unnecessary warfare with tragic suffering and loss of life. Maybe if he’d read that one more book himself, it might never have happened. You never know.

We may never know, but that doesn’t mean we have to stop trying. Cheers.