Seoul-2008


Our initiative

 

We want to held a symposium "Immortalism and transhumanism: philosophical study of new technological determinant of societal development" at the XXII World Congress on Philosophy in Seoul in 2008.

 

Information in ImmInst forum about necessary support

 

Goal:

force/persuade the organisers to hold a symposium (and a plenary talk/session) on transhumanism and immortalism

 

Ideas:

This would have very significant impact. This isn't some backyard gathering, this is world philosophical congress, tasked with nothing less than rethinking philosophy. It is from this places that memes like "sustainable development" and "information society" emerge and spread around, infecting everyone and everything in sight.

Korea is THE place to move transhumanism into mainstream. We would no longer be forced to tolerate things like the January Wired issue, where coverage about human enhancement is done as if the H+ movement never existed.

 

Support:

Russian Philosophical Society (Vyacheslav Stepin, officially supports)

Russian Gerontology Society (officially supports)

... and more

 

Need:

official support from national philosophical societies and other relevant organisations

support from Korean contacts of Jose Cordeiro

 

Technical instructions

 

Напечатанное письмо отсканировать (в цвете с норм. разрешением) и прислать нам на rtd-info@mail.ru (копию на rphs@iph.ras.ru , но у них проблемы с почтой, так что главное нам.). Также постараться отправить на факс РФО (+7 495 637-24-02), с 10 до 18 часов,

там тел/факс, так что надо позвонить и попросить принять факс.

Оригинал отправить почтой на

119002, Москва, Смоленский бульвар, д. 20, Российское Философское Общество, Королёву А.Д.

 

Topics for discussion

 

The following topics can be discussed and covered at the symposium "Immortalism and transhumanism: philosophical study of new technological determinant of societal development":

 

  1. Philosophical understanding and reevaluation of the meaning of "human" in light of expected genetic and technical modifications of the human organism.
  2. Technological progress and the basic philosophical dichotomies: artificial-natural, living-inanimate, intelligent-dumb. New approaches to understanding the meaning of "I" related to development of artificial and hybrid intelligence, the philosophy of uploading and immortalism as a new ontology of man and individuality.
  3. The changing "meaning of life" due to the development of neural computer and brain-computer interfaces. The new prospects for philosophical anthropology after including artificial technical devices in the thought and sensoric human system.
  4. Change of socio-psychological and cultural (worldview, family values, religions) dominants because of expected radical increase in life expectancy (including developing countries).
  5. The influence of biotechnologies, nanotechnologies, information and cognitive technologies on huamn mentality and life styles. The role of intelligence augmentation methods (including nootropic drugs) in education and communications. Philosophical understanding of competition between physical and virtual realities in perception of the individual and the society.
  6. Ethical and legal issues of humanism identification in the era of radical technological changes in society. Innovation of humanist manifestos. The problem of dialog between cybernetics, philosophy, ethics and natural sciences.

 

About WCP

НАВСТРЕЧУ XXII ВСЕМИРНОМУ ФИЛОСОФСКОМУ КОНГРЕССУ

Main theme: RETHINKING PHILOSOPHY TODAY

  The World Congresses of Philosophy are organized every five years by the International Federation of Philosophical Societies in collaboration with one of its member societies, which assumes responsibility for the organization of the Congress.

  The XXII World Congress of Philosophy will be held from July 30 through August 5, 2008 in Seoul under the auspices of the Korean Philosophical Association. It has several aims, which are to be understood as complementary.

  To call attention to the importance of philosophical reflection on philosophy itself, especially critical reflection on the diverse forms taken by contemporary philosophy and the history of philosophy.

  To reflect on the tasks and functions of philosophy in the contemporary world, taking account of the contributions, expectations, and gaps in philosophical awareness that are associated with other disciplines such as the natural and humane sciences, with political, religious, social, economic, financial, technological, etc, activities, as well as with diverse cultures and traditions.

  The first World Congress to be held in Asia, the Seoul Congress presents a clear invitation to rethink the nature, roles, and responsibilities of philosophy and of philosophers in the age of globalization. It is committed to paying heed to the problems, conflicts, inequalities, and injustices connected with the development of a planetary civilization that is at once multicultural and techno-scientific.

  The main theme of the Congress will be developed, according to the tradition of the World Congresses, in the following four plenary sessions and five symposia.

PLENARY SESSIONS

  1. Rethinking Moral. Social and Political Philosophy: Democracy, Jus 

    tice and Globol Responsibility

  2. Rethinking Metaphysics and Aesthetics: Reality, Beauty and the 

    Meaning of Life

  1. Rethinking Epistemology, Philosophy of Science and Technology: 

    Knowledge and Culture

  2. Rethinking History of Philosophy and Comparative Philosophy: Tra 

    ditions, Critique and Dialogue

SYMPOSIA

  1. Conflict and Tolerance Globalization and Cosmopolitanism
  2. Bioethics, Environmental Ethics and Future Generations
  3. Tradition, Modernity and Post-modernity: Eastern and Western
  1. Perspectives Philosophy in Korea 

    SUBMISSION OF PAPERS 

  Submit both (a) two paper copies of approximately 6 pages (1800 words) typewritten and double-spaced, with 1.5 cm. margins on all sides of the text, accompanied by a 10-20 line abstract; and (b) an electronic version, either on disk or as an attachment to an e-mail message. Both should be addressed to the Korean Organizing Committee and should include an Indication, prominently displayed, of the section for which the contributed paper is intended and of the language in which it has been written.

  The International Program Committee reserves the right to accept or not accept papers on the basis of criteria of quality. Only papers of a philosophical nature will be considered for inclusion in the program.

  MEETINGS OF INTERNATIONAL MEMBER SOCIETIES OF FISP

  International member societies of FISP that wish to hold meetings during the Congress are kindly requested to apply to the Korean Organizing Committee no later than January 1, 2007.

IMPORTANT DATES

  June 1, 2007 is the deadline for the receipt of contributed papers and for proposals for round-tables and poster sessions. Papers and proposals received after this deadline, but before January 1, 2008 may be accepted, if space is still available.

  Send papers and proposals for round-table and poster sessions to the Korean Organizing Committee.

Congress Secretariat WCP 2008 c/o ConvEx Korea

  B-201 Champs-Elysees Center # 889-5, Daechi-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul 135-712, Korea

  Tel: 822 - 557-77-05. Fax 822557-77-08, e-mail: program@wcp2008.or.kr