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Category Archives: Transhuman

Will AI and Transhumanism Lead to the Next Evolution of Mankind, or Doom It? – CrimeReads

Dystopian futures dominated by malevolent artificial intelligence have long been a mainstay in science fiction. From the coldly calculating HAL 9000 of Arthur C. Clarkes 2001: A Space Odyssey to Arnold Schwartzeneggers iconic portrayal of the Terminator to HBOs Westworld, we thrill at the prospect of being overwhelmed by our own creations.

In fact, the very first science fiction novel, Mary Shelleys Frankenstein, was born out of the fear that the then-nascent industrial revolution would unleash titanic forces beyond our control. That it hasnt happened yet has done little to diminish popular interest in the topic.

Ray Kurzweil, chief futurist at Google and the most recognizable evangelist of the Singularity, predicts that computers will overtake human intelligence by the year 2045. Only time will tell if he is right.

For now, such futures still belong to the realm of speculation, which is to say they belong to science fiction.

However, it is not AI that is the danger, but rather transhumanism. We shouldnt worry about making machines that are more like us. We should worry about making us more like machines.

Transhumanism theorizes that mankind will transcend the limitations of biology with the aid of artificial intelligence and technology, which would be integrated with the human consciousness. Proponents of transhumanism claim that it will be possible to upload human minds into machines, thereby achieving a kind of immortality. They argue that we have already entered a cybernetic era, with life extending technologies such as artificial hearts, prosthetic limbs, and various implants that regulate our bodies. Now, Elon Musk is working on brain-computer interfaces, that would allow direct communication between a human mind and an artificial one.

Transhumanist meddling in consciousness significantly increases the risk that humanity will be superseded. As a species, we havent proven to be very good at respecting boundaries. We need only look at the devastation human beings have wrought on the environment to see how our best-laid technological plans often lead to disastrous consequences for ourselves and for those with whom we share the planet.

Most of the work being done on AI and transhumanism is happening in a corporate black box. We are subjecting our very nature to the profit motive. That doesnt seem like a good idea.

I envision a world in which human minds are vulnerable to direct manipulation or control via the kind of brain-computer interface being developed by Musk, where quaint concepts of independent thought or free will no longer exist.

In many ways, we are edging closer and closer to that world. Digital media technology and social algorithms can now be used not only to predict behavior, but to direct it. Politically, Americans are dividing into self-selected digital tribes, where the only news that filters through conforms to pre-existing biases. Imagine a world where it is no longer possible simply to step away from your computer or put down your iPhone.

One of the recurring themes in my new novel, Our Lady of the Artilects, is the struggle of its characters to distinguish between authentic spiritual experiences and mere spectacle that has been implanted in their minds, a kind of hijacking of prophecy or prayer for sinister purposes.

Its no accident that that the subtitle of Frankenstein was the Modern Prometheus. Shelleys brilliant protagonist was playing with primordial forces he didnt fully understand. Given how little we know about the nature of consciousness, I worry we are doing the same as we rush towards a transhumanist future. If we do end up creating Frankensteins monster, it is likely that we will create it within ourselves.

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Leading theologian sees a rise in interest in Aquinas among young Catholics – Angelus News

A new generation of young people are deeply invested in the study of St. Thomas Aquinas, according to Father Thomas Joseph White.

The Dominican theologian and rector of the Angelicum in Rome said that he has witnessed both a new academic emphasis on historical accuracy regarding the 13th-century saint and attention to his potential contemporary relevance.

Were seeing a modest renaissance of Thomism in the Church, particularly in the English-speaking world, White told CNA on Sept. 22.

And this is something that people are now paying more attention to in the academic world because were seeing that there is a rise in interest in Aquinas that is not related to past ideas of magisterial homogeneity. Its really more about people on the grassroots level, trying to think through the doctrine of the faith and bring theology to their local communities and to the broader Church through rigorous investigation and responsible reflection.

White spoke as the11th International Thomistic Congressis taking place in Rome Sept. 1924.

I think its the most important Thomistic conference internationally to take place in decades, he commented.

Featuring more than 130 speakers, including Father Simon Gaine, Father Wojciech Giertych, and Father Gilles Emery, the congress has covered a wide range of topics from historical reflections on St. Thomas Aquinas to contemporary philosophical topics in metaphysics and ethics.

Its been an amazing last few days because we have had speakers from all over the world, from the Far East, from the United States, a healthy representation from Central and South America, Africa, India, and of course, Europe. It shows the kind of catholicity of engagement in Aquinas as a common doctor for Catholic thought, White said.

Pope Francis received participants from the International Thomistic Congress in an audience in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace on Sept. 22.

Speaking entirely off the cuff, the pope underscored the importance of contemplation in intellectual life.

Before talking about St. Thomas, before talking about Thomism, before teaching, we must contemplate, Pope Francis told the Thomists.

In awritten reflectiondistributed to the congress participants, Pope Francis wrote that St. Thomas Aquinas search for the truth about God was impelled and permeated by love.

Ahead of the papal audience, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, offered Mass for the congress participants in St. Peters Basilica. A schola made up of students from the pontifical university sang for the liturgy.

The 11th International Thomistic Congress, jointly organized by the Thomistic Institute and the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas, is the first congress of its kind to be hosted by the pontifical university in Rome in nearly 20 years.

Father Dominic Holtz, the vice dean of philosophy at the university, told CNA that the congress has addressed new questions on Thomistic engagement with neo-Confucian philosophers and transhumanism sorts of things that we probably would not have even thought of asking 20 years ago.

Holtz added that a hallmark of Thomism is that it remains both able to engage new situations and retains a life in the classic perennial questions that every generation has to wrestle with.

For instance, he continued, there was a talk yesterday about how we understand Revelation. What does Revelation mean and how does it work when we engage the Sacred Scriptures? And philosophical questions, like just what is the state of the human soul after death?

Those sorts of questions will always remain with us and they are being asked with new and interesting perspectives in light of what has been looked at before, he said.

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The IT Pro Podcast: Meet the cyborg hacker – IT PRO

The technological arsenal available to cyber criminals is already enough to give any security professional nightmares, but theres another emerging threat on the horizon that may keep them up at night: bio-augmented hackers. Implantable chips and other modifications are growing in capability and sophistication, and there are a variety of creative ways that attackers can use them to carry out both physical and device-based attacks -

This is made all the more concerning by the fact that these implants are all but impossible to detect. This week, were joined by CyberArk technical evangelist, white hat hacker and self-described transhumanist Len Noe to find out what kind of augmentations cyber criminals currently have access to, how can they be used in intrusions, and why the industry needs to start preparing for their implementation now - as well as some of the positive uses that this technology can be put to.

Would you like me to tell you how I get through an airport? I put the left foot in front of the right and then I repeat. That's it There is not enough combined metal in all of my implants to actually trigger a magnetometer even if I'm doing the X-ray metal detector, [it] doesn't show up, I can walk straight through, the magnetometer will not trigger.

I know that I'm using it. I know of quite a few people who are on red teams that are using this technology. We have not found any indications from any type of incidents that have actually happened in the wild where implants were shown to be the root cause, but at the same time, how would you be able to determine that - and therein lies the problem.

From an actual implementation perspective, there is currently no way to actually detect an augmented human with this type of technology inside the body. And that becomes a very large problem for security professionals. And the only way that I can really give as a way to try and combat this is a true defence in depth, and a layered security approach.

Read the full transcript here.

Mastering retention

Turning user behaviour insights into retention strategies

Dell PowerEdge with AMD

IT applications and infrastructure are the prime catalyst for new revenue creation

Building for success with off-premises private cloud

Leveraging co-location facilities to execute your cloud strategy

Cyber resiliency and end-user performance

Reduce risk and deliver greater business success with cyber-resilience capabilities

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You need to watch 2022’s best video game adaptation ASAP – Inverse

Video game adaptions have a checkered history, but anime consistently seems to be the best medium for alternative content based on video games. Following in the footsteps of shows like Castlevania and Arcane, Netflixs new Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is a phenomenal adaption of the source material that fully makes use of the series key themes about transhumanism in a cyberized world. In fact, it delivers a more compelling story than anything found in Cyberpunk 2077.

The events of Edgerunners take place one year before the start of Cyberpunk 2077, and the Night City of the anime will look quite similar to anyone thats played the game. The show uses locations from the game, and there are even a few familiar characters that pop up along the way. Edgerunners follows David Martinez, a street kid struggling to survive while his mother scrounges every penny she can to send him to Arasaka Academy. Like most stories in the cyberpunk genre, tragedy hits Davids life and continues to strike throughout the series.

Before long, David has a life-changing meeting with an Edgerunner named Lucy and joins up with a group to start pulling off jobs. In the games universe, an Edgerunner refers to someone who lives on the edge and generally works jobs outside of the law, outfitting their bodies with cyberware and other technical enhancements. Lucy is instantly one of the most memorable anime characters in recent memory. Shes a stylish and aloof netrunner with a traumatic past that informs so much of her identity, and the way the show peels back her layers is a wonder to behold.

Cyberpunk Edgerunners does a great job of integrating the UI of the game into animation.Netflix

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners is filled with plenty of action, explosions, and cursing, but whats most impressive about the show is the surprisingly thoughtful and emotional relationship at the heart of everything.

Underneath all the neon glamour Edgerunners is really a story about two people struggling to find their place in a hostile world while protecting each other. They each have their own development arc across the 10-episode series, but their evolving relationship is the most compelling part of whats going on.

Theres also a strong ensemble cast to back up the core duo. The foul-mouthed and diminutive Rebecca stands out as a hilariously unhinged highlight, while the unscrupulous villain Faraday makes a good foil to David.

Impeccable pacing in a meaningful overarching narrative full of memorable characters is the recipe for good TV, and Edgerunners has it all. Each episode has at least some kind of action, and it becomes unabashedly violent and/or gory at some points.

Studio Trigger was the absolutely perfect choice to bring Cyberpunk to anime, as the studios trademark eclectic style works wonders here. The bright neon colors of Night City really pop, and the animation really has a sense of impact with bullets exploding heads and massive blows from mechanical arms making horrific bone-crunching noises.

Characters like Rebbecca stand out as some of the best the Cyberpunk series has to offer.Netflix

Action scenes consistently make use of dynamic camera angles, and there are some neat tricks the animation does to represent characters moving at high speeds. All of this is highlighted by a bumping soundtrack that sports a few original songs on top of plenty of ones from Cyberpunk 2077.

Cyberpunk: Edgerunners really feels like it makes a blueprint for how CD Projekt Red should approach this franchise moving forward. Sure the show has all the Choombas and other slang the game does, but theres a genuineness that the anime has that the game simply lacks. Although there are certainly some strong narratives in the game, much of Cyberpunk 2077s storytelling feels like it's specifically trying to be hard and edgy.

While Edgerunners has a lot of those same elements, its more concerned with making characters that feel like real people. Because of that, the seasons climax feels memorable and important. So much of Edgerunners story isnt happy, but it definitely winds up feeling immensely cathartic.

LEARN SOMETHING NEW EVERY DAY.

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Goatboy’s Warhammer 40K: The Best of the Best Armies – BoLS

Goatboy here with whos leading 40Ks meta right now and why.

Its another Monday before the avalanche of Votann Grudges comes knocking on our door. Today we are going to talk a bit about the Meta and how its shaping up. Overall it isnt completely terrible beyond a few very boring armies that are a grind to play against. That is probably the most frustrating thing right now as a whole. Someone who is a good player could pick up and the army and cruise to a very boring victory.

The army I am talking about is the relentless Expansionist army that is currently maxing out round scores in some events. A buddy Jack Harpster from Art of War took one of these armies to the Nova and without really playing any test games (but getting attacked by them on stream games by Siegler) was only 10 points off from a perfect set of 9 games. That is pretty incredible and somewhat upsetting because it didnt seem like he was pushing it too hard. It also made for a very boring set of games just from the factor of move things up, run up your secondary score, and profit. It does help he is a good player and routinely plays some of the best 40k players in the US weekly.

But is it the best army? Um sorta. It doesnt do the game as well as others who just crush you with data slate abilities. The really best army currently is the Tyranid book with its juiced data sheets, powerful interactions, and somewhat weak secondaries. Its game is to come there, take your candy, and crush your poor little Marine spirits. If you look at the rankings a lot more Nids show up towards the top with the Leviathan builds being the best. Having army wide Transhuman, tons of damage potential, and probably the best troop in the game helps out a lot. This one feels like the army needs to get its points tweaked again bar full rewrite of datasheets which is most likely not happening. Warriors still feel too cheap or we need to really relook at Leviathans abilities as a whole just to keep things in line.

The next batch of books that seem to fit into this maybe too good range is the other best secondary army the Sisters of Battle. This is the army the people who kind of want to do everything can play. It assaults well, it shoots well, and it has the 2nd best secondary game out there. I think a lot of the reason you dont see it as much is it is expensive to gather all the pieces if you want and again falls into one build rules them all Bloody Rose. Still it feels like it is in an okay place army wise with just the Secondaries needing an actual update. Being able to hit max score by turn 2 on some of their options go against the feeling of what the secondaries are supposed to do.

In fact that is probably the biggest issue in a lot of these is that Secondaries dont feel the same. Some armies have ones that work in a way that breaks against all of the other armies options. I have talked about this but if a Shadow Operations secondary is not better than Banners then it shouldnt be printed. The same is for any secondary that allows an explosion of points in a turn where you hit 5+ points quickly. We all know how rough it was when Grey Knights would do an oops I got 6 points this turn I max out my secondary and no other army should do that as well. I would say any secondary should set some kind of Max per turn where an Action is involved. This way you can limit somethings and make sure peoples army options all work the same.

Hopping off that soap box will look at the next batch of armies that show up. Chaos Space Marines seem to be doing alright as their book is good just their secondaries have issues. Creations of Bile is leading the back due to having a sold secondary choice and a powerful set of abilities for what is really an Assault based army. It feels the best and easiest to play as you know you need to push forward, push people off of objectives, and can get into some issues because your fight on death lets you always work. I think if some of the other Legions had a more workable secondary they would show up beyond just Abaddon in all the CSM list. I do wonder if will see Abbie take a hit in an update at some point as of right now he is going to show up in a ton of Chaos Daemon options as well as Chaos Knights.

Still on the bad guy bandwagon Chaos Knights sit in an interesting place with Imperial Knights. Both armies play differently which is a good thing and both seem to have secondary play and options. Overall I think they are pretty good and help create a more unique battlefield as the Chaos Knights do have a nice play into Necrons especially if they go first. Imperial Knights look to be the more difficult of the big robot armies to play. They are really dependent on chained effects to help out all their pieces. I would like more action options for their Secondaries in both books. But until they allow Armigers to poop out a banner or two it can be a chore to find all your avenues to victory.

The pointy elf friends are always still there. While they have powerful data sheets they do suffer from just bad avenues to victory. The Aeldari just feel off on their secondary game which hurts them. The best out of the pointy ears is the Harlequins as their book is still cheap, has good secondaries, and powerful abilities. I again dont think will see as much as a lot of the better players move to either things they love (Chaos) or armies that are easier to grind out the victory due to not needing nearly as much dice luck (Necrons). Just glad we dont have to live thru a bunch of badly painted clown boats running the top tables.

Death Guard and Thousand sons both have places in the meta as they can still work. They are not nearly as shiny as the other ones but they still feel alright. I like how Death Guard feel more well rounded than Thousand Sons just due to the nature of Death Guard having a lot of unit options to play with. Thousand Sons feel like more of a chore to play with as you have a lot of interaction in all your parts, a ton of damned gold to a paint, and the army being dominated by two blocks of Terminators. Each one feels good which is a high five to GW for making the army work better. The only reason I dont play more Death Guard is I played them a ton in the beginning and really just need to get my Chaos Space Marine on.

The rest of the armies are in a weird place with either weak options (Space Marines and the like), or just a codex that is just very hard to play with (GSC). Weve got a few books coming and I have high hopes for the World Eaters. What do you think about the meta? Is it overall ok towards the middle with just a few bad eggs that make games not so exciting?

What do you think the tweaks will be when they come let alone when the new meta breakers hit the tabletop?

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Thomas Reidy, aka Goatboy, the ever-evil member of BoLS. I do arts, play 40k, and even paint a lot of stuff. I have been playing Warhammer 40K since the 1990s, and have won multiple national events including Adepticon and GW GTs. I've been writing for BoLS for 15 years. Look at my Instagram to see what I am working on - or working on for someone. I am always doing something hobby related.

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Mutate or Die: UNI and The Urchins Announce Debut Album ‘Simulator,’ out January 13th, 2023 on Chimera Music – Shore Fire Media

Cosmic art punks Jack James and Kemp Muhl, formerly known as Uni, resurrect as UNI and The Urchins

Kemp-directed video for genetically modified Doll Parts (Hole cover) out todayHERE

Uncomfortable and strangely beautiful blend of grunge, synth wave and punk macabre in the best way -PAPER MAGAZINE

On January 13th, 2023,UNI and The Urchinswill release their debut album,Simulator, onChimera Music. Formerly known as Uni, UNI and The Urchins are thepost-apocalyptic rock & roll cultled by vocalist and NYC nightlife fixtureJack James Busaand ex-GOASTT bassistCharlotte Kemp Muhl. Combining acrobatic post-punk with glittery glam rock,V Magazineonce described the bands sound as in their own league and therefore genre.Simulatorwas written (and mixed/mastered/engineered by Kemp) mostly in isolation in the woods of Upstate NY, but takes listeners on a cosmic journey through a"lobotomized disco"world of silicone sex doll factories, crucifix manufacturers and iPhone graveyards, in a Camus-esque dive into the ways technology has permanently changed our lives and, quite literally, us.

And in the same DIY vein as the making of the album,every song onSimulatorwill be turned into an epic music videodirected/edited/colorized (the whole bit) by Kemp herself. Self-taught in every respect - she left school for a modeling career after the sixth grade - Kemp has directed each pre-SimulatorUNI and The Urchins video to date, and her surrealist style has gained her additional gigs directing videos for bands such as The Smashing Pumpkins and The Killers' Mark Stoermer.

The first video to be released from the album, today, is an industrial-trippy cover of Holes Doll Parts. Magnified by the narcissism of social media, the visuals poke fun at the meaningless of beauty as we enter an almost-here age of transhumanism and body/genetic modifications, where bodies will just be an interchangeable design element.

Watch the video for Doll PartsHERE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acHiln-9C-M&feature=youtu.be

Read atPAPER Magazineabout the "macabre in the best way" videoHERE:https://www.papermag.com/uni-and-the-urchins-doll-parts-2658210728.html?rebelltitem=17#rebelltitem17

Largely written alongside the pandemic-accelerated collapse of civilization - and societys resulting shift from a real world to a virtual world of humanoid avatars -Simulatorwas inspired by Kemp, Jack, and guitarist David Stranges love-hate relationship with the black magic of technology. After years of cynicism towards the modern world, its a trio of retro-rock-loving musicians determination toaccuratelyriff on the musical processes of their predecessors, which always looked forward, not behind. As Ziggy looked to the space race and moon landing as defining zeitgeists of his time, UNI and The Urchins look to the Singularity and the horizon of VR replacing all flesh.

Their motto for this new era? Mutate or Die

Check out an album trailerHERE:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkztKd0kuR0&feature=youtu.be

Watch this space for more news, music, and videos to come fromSimulator.

About Chimera Music

Chimera Music, formed in 2008 in the Manhattan kitchen of Sean Ono Lennon and Charlotte Kemp Muhl, has released the pair's many projects as well as music by Yoko Ono, Moonlandingz, Black Lips, RZA, Iggy Pop, Ahohni, Tune-yards, John Zorn & others.

UNI and the Urchins (Credit: Ariel Sadok)

Frontman Jack James(Credit:Ariel Sadok)

About Frontman Jack James

Jack James is the androgynous alien front-man, starring in and co-creative directing UNI and The Urchins transmedia production house. He appears in television shows such as the FOX series Gotham, Rock Me, and the lead role in feature film, Mister Sister, a performance which earned him a Winter Film Awards nomination for Best Actor. From Blackbook magazine: Singer Jack Jamesghostly falsetto makes the proceedings all the more eerie and disconcerting an alarmingly tall man who resembles a cult character from horror movies vocal chops oozing charisma and star power. He can also appear at your Bar Mitzvah dressed as the lovechild of Kenneth Anger and Peewee Herman for the small fee of 13 Faberg eggs and your immortal soul.

Bassist Charlotte Kemp Muhl(Credit:Ariel Sadok)

About Bassist Charlotte Kemp Muhl

Shedding her Maybelline model image, bassist Charlotte Kemp Muhl has a background in psych rock from The GOASTT, her band with Sean Ono Lennon, their albumMidnight Sunhailed byRolling StoneandNPRas a best-of-the-year. She has since played bass on Jack White'sBoarding House Reach, acted as a zombie in Jim Jarmusch'sThe Dead Don't Die, and composed the score for an upcoming Crispin Glover film. She has directed all of UNI and The Urchins videos and mini-films, and engineered, mixed and mastered their new albumSimulatorherself. A workaholic and a diehard control freak, her biology is 70% composed of cup ramen and useless science factoids.

Guitarist David Strange(Credit:Nathan West)

For more information, contact Hannah Schwartz:hschwartz@shorefire.com

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