Greenflame » Research

Online Religion and the New Connectivity

stepheng — Sat, 22 Nov 2008 09:56:17 +0000

The article The Alban Institute - The New Connectivity: How Internet Innovations Are Changing the Way We Do Church by Andrea Useem makes some interesting points about digital technologies and religious community. Resonates with me this weekend as I’m speaking tomorrow evening at church on technology as the environment we inhabit, and also because I attended a Web 3D and Virtual Worlds symposium at work yesterday.

Also PBS carried a feature on online religion today too. See Episode no. 1212. Online Religion | PBS Religion & Ethics NewsWeekly

Both the Alban Institute and the PBS pieces engage with Heidi Campbell’s work.

(Hat Tip: Tensegrities » Blog Archive » Web 2.0 and congregations)

Virtual immortality revisited

stepheng — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:25:11 +0000

Interesting news article looking at Matrine Rothlatt’s perspective on digital immortality. See Virtual immortality — baltimoresun.com

Terasemfaith.org, the Internet home base for Terasem Movement Transreligion Inc., describes Rothblatt’s religion as one that believes “God emerges as technology becomes increasingly omnipresent, omniscient, omnificient and omnipotent,” and that “technology will soon enable joyful immortality.”

Related links - the film transbemanmovie: About TransBeMan which Rothlatt is involved in and Greenflame · Search results for immortality.

Post-Chicago thoughts #1

stepheng — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 08:23:07 +0000

I really enjoyed the AAR session “Religion and Transhumanism” I was presenting at. They were four of us presenting (see below) and the three other presentations were really good. I especially appreciated Jennifer’s material critiquing biases relating to gender and disability in transhumanist literature. (You can see the full blurbs for the talks here - just scroll down to “A1-134 Transhumanism and Religion Consultation - Theme: Perspectives on Human Enhancement”)

Returning to Eden: Reflections on the Transhumanist Vision of Extended Life with Respect to the Ascetic Tradition in the Desert Fathers: Todd Daly, Urbana Theological Seminary
The Glorified Body?: Transhumanist Dualism and Theological Anthropology: Jennifer Thweatt-Bates, Princeton Theological Seminary
Brain Uploading: The Transhumanist Quest for Immortality: Philip Douglas, Michigan State University
Constructing a Theology of Technology in Response to Transhumanism: Stephen Garner, University of Auckland

Some good questions from people attending the session and it was good to meet others interested in the intersection of trans/post-humanism and religion.

Back from Chicago

stepheng — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 06:44:25 +0000

Just back this morning from attending AAR in Chicago. Feeling more than a little tired from the Chicago–>San Francisco–>Auckland flights so will post on the conference at the weekend. Click on the pictures for larger images

Brain –> Computer –> Speech

stepheng — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 08:41:49 +0000

Scientific American has a recent article surveying the development of brain to computer interfaces up to recent prototypes that attempt recognise the neurological activity associated with controlling the muscles for speech and translating that into synthetic speech. Very interesting.

From Putting Thoughts into Action: Implants Tap the Thinking Brain: Scientific American

AAR Conference in less than a week

stepheng — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 01:52:12 +0000

Flying out on Thursday to the American Academy of Religion annual meeting in Chicago. I’ll be presenting at the “Religion and Transhumanism” consultation on Saturday and looking forward to meeting various people also interested in that and other things related to science, technology & religion.

I imagine it’ll be an interesting experience in cultural anthropology - the combination of American Halloween (which, in spite of the best efforts of retailers and US-centred TV, we don’t celebrate here in NZ much/at all) and US presidential elections will be make for interesting cultural viewing.

It’s a bit of a long haul to get there - Auckland-San Francisco-Chicago - and I have to hurry back for final assessment and reporting for the year, but hopefully all will go smoothly.

Anyone else going to be there?

Science, religion and technology films

stepheng — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 10:13:56 +0000

I’m looking for some film titles to list as recommended viewing for students of science, technology and religion. I’ve got a selection already but I’m always interested in seeing what other people have found useful.

Add you suggestions as a comment.

Xenotransplantation trial given go ahead

stepheng — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:56:29 +0000

Xenotransplantation clinical trials where pig tissue is transplanted into humans in order to help treat diabetes have been given provisional approval by the Minister of Health. Should make for some interesting discussion.

See Go-ahead for pig cell trial on humans - National News - Dominion Post.

See also the xenotransplantation information at Publications [Bioethics Council].

Studying Religion and New Media Wiki

stepheng — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 08:34:58 +0000

Heidi Campell’s started a new wiki for researching issues related to religion, the internet and other forms of new media. See the link below:

Main Page - Studying Religion and New Media

Science & Religion Today Blog

stepheng — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:39:54 +0000

Some of the people involved with the now defunct Science and Religion News magazine and website have put together a new(ish) blog on things relating to science and religion. You can catch it at: Science & Religion Today.