15-Day Exposure Period on Policy Proposals on Investigations and Emergency Declarations

15-Day Exposure Period on Policy Proposals on Investigations and Emergency Declarations

Comments 14 comments

The U.S. Transhumanist Party hereby opens a 15-day public exposure period on the proposals submitted by R. Nicholas Starr and Zach Richardson concerning investigations and emergency actions. The proposals are presented below, followed by initial feedback from USTP leadership. The public exposure period is intended to last until 12:01 a.m. U.S. Pacific Time on November 1, 2021.

During the exposure period, please post your comments on this thread. If you post comments intended to be considered in voting and/or amending any of these planks in any other electronic medium, please note that you thereby give your consent to have your comments reproduced with attribution or linked within this discussion thread, in order to direct members’ attention and consideration to them.

Given the nature of the proposals and depending on the input received regarding them, the U.S. Transhumanist Party reserves the right to put forward for a vote of the members either (1) the entirety of each proposal, (2) portions of each proposal, (3) some of the proposals but not others, or (4) none of the proposals. Also, the U.S. Transhumanist Party reserves the right to determine which document(s) of the U.S. Transhumanist Party, if any, would be open to amendment to include any of the contents of these proposals.

Proposals by R. Nicholas Starr

The following policy proposals seek to limit the power of USTP leadership during events of investigations and emergencies. I request these items are put to vote as soon as possible, after providing an appropriate exposure period for members to discuss, add, remove, or change things.

Proposal RNS-1. Guidelines for Investigations

As a data-driven political organization the United States Transhumanist Party (USTP), and its leadership acting on behalf of the USTP, must remain neutral in its official capacity during outside investigations into past, present, or future members until said investigations are complete and all facts are known and presented to USTP members. The USTP should also refrain from attempts to influence ongoing investigations or public perception while an investigation is taking place. Public statements of facts and acknowledgement of the situation is permissible, but statements must not stray into speculation. Once an investigation is complete the USTP can issue statements based solely on the facts and analysis thereof. This does NOT restrict an individual, regardless of their position in the USTP, from speaking out on an issue in their personal capacity, nor does it restrict a person from providing criticism of such personal statements in their own personal capacity.

The USTP can conduct its own investigations into matters affecting members on a case by case basis, as determined by a vote of the membership, and under the following limitations. Investigators must be impartial with no personal or professional connection to any of the parties involved in the investigation (accusers, the accused, or other individuals of interest sought for questioning in the investigation). Professional connections include but aren’t limited to current or former employees, advisors, board members, and interns for the person or organization under investigation as well as direct competitors of any party under investigation (you can’t investigate your competition). If an impartial investigator cannot be obtained, either from inside or outside our membership, then the investigation must be abandoned.

Internal investigations should not be intended to replace outside investigations and should be limited to how the incident under investigation impacts operation of the USTP. Consequences sought after the conclusion of the investigation shall be limited to administrative action available within the USTP. The USTP does not have the power to require action or consequences be made by outside organizations.

The purpose of the internal investigation shall be made known to the members with a summary of alleged offenses and what questions the investigation seeks to answer. This must be done in a professional manner, excluding personal opinion and potential bias.

Proposal RNS-2. Definitions and Restrictions on Emergency Actions

United States Transhumanist Party (USTP) leaders shall have the limited ability to declare, and act on, emergencies on behalf of its members. Such a declaration shall have no bearing on, or interfere with, applicable federal, state, and local laws.

When declaring an emergency the USTP leadership must publicly announce what the emergency is, why waiting to act would cause immediate increased harm, and the intended course of action sought by the USTP. This course of action must not deviate from, or spread beyond, the scope of the incident. Meaning any intended action must be clearly and directly related to the emergency.

An emergency shall be defined as an unexpected and immediate threat or active instance of the following, pending member further recommendations and approval by membership vote:

  • Threat to life or public safety (threats to life extension shall NOT be included unless the emergency threatens an individual placed in preservation prior to the emergency, such as cryogenics)
  • Natural disaster
  • Humanitarian crisis
  • Credible acts of violence
  • Direct malicious attack, physical or digital, of USTP property
  • Theft of USTP funds from an official account totaling over X% of the last known balance and more than $X. (Amounts to be decided based on current and future potential needs before vote)

It shall not include:

  • Personal scandal
  • Delays in research
  • Matters of outside businesses or organizations

An emergency can only be declared in cases where delayed action would clearly cause increased harm based on the available evidence. If the emergency action is to take longer than 14 days, then it requires further approval by a vote of the membership.

Feedback on R. Nicholas Starr’s Proposals by USTP Leadership

The USTP Leadership offers a point-by-point analysis of Mr. Starr’s proposals below.

Proposal RNS-1. “As a data-driven political organization the United States Transhumanist Party (USTP), and its leadership acting on behalf of the USTP, must remain neutral in its official capacity during outside investigations into past, present, or future members until said investigations are complete and all facts are known and presented to USTP members.”

USTP Leadership Response: This appears to provide a blanket power to any “outside investigation”, however motivated and by whomever conducted. Just because an outside investigation is being conducted does not guarantee the objective or impartial nature of the investigator, particularly if the investigator is retained by a party with a preconceived interest in the outcome of the investigation. If the USTP leadership is unable to point out instances of obvious bias when they exist, this hampers objectivity and the search for truth. Moreover, if the rest of the world is free to comment and speculate on the subject of the investigation while the USTP’s ability to respond is muzzled, the USTP would necessarily be placed at a disadvantage relative to those who have no compunctions about making unsubstantiated claims.

Proposal RNS-1. “The USTP should also refrain from attempts to influence ongoing investigations or public perception while an investigation is taking place.”

USTP Leadership Response: Public perception often can be influenced far more rapidly than an official investigation can be conducted or concluded. The unfortunate truth is, in a social-media-dominated age, the court of public opinion has the power to affect an individual’s fate without utilizing any reasonable standard of evidence or waiting for the facts to come out. Sometimes the damage to a person’s reputation from unsubstantiated allegations in the court of public opinion can be immense. Without voices of reason being ready to counter unsubstantiated, character-assassinating allegations right away, good people’s future prospects may be damaged or destroyed because unscrupulous voices are the only ones which are allowed to be heard.

Proposal RNS-1. “Public statements of facts and acknowledgement of the situation is permissible, but statements must not stray into speculation.”

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP does not favor unsubstantiated speculation, either, but must remain free to point out when others engage in such speculation and when such others accuse without evidence.

Proposal RNS-1. “Once an investigation is complete the USTP can issue statements based solely on the facts and analysis thereof. ”

USTP Leadership Response:  Again, this places too much power into the hands of an outside investigator, often appointed by entities with no affiliation or connection with the USTP, to determine what constitutes “facts and analysis” that are within the permissible realm of discussion. An outside investigator can easily present a selective, skewed, or biased portrayal, and the USTP should not relinquish its ability to inquire into and comment on facts and analytical interpretations that, for whatever reason, an outside investigator did not include in a public-facing report.

Proposal RNS-1. “ This does NOT restrict an individual, regardless of their position in the USTP, from speaking out on an issue in their personal capacity, nor does it restrict a person from providing criticism of such personal statements in their own personal capacity.”

USTP Leadership Response:  The USTP leadership agrees with the principle behind the statement above.

Proposal RNS-1. “The USTP can conduct its own investigations into matters affecting members on a case by case basis, as determined by a vote of the membership, and under the following limitations.”

USTP Leadership Response: Requiring a vote of the members before conducting an internal investigation may have several undesirable consequences. First, if there is an action whose damaging effect is swiftly forthcoming, then the procedural steps required for a vote to be conducted may well come about much later than the damage has already been done. Second, it is often possible to investigate certain matters discreetly without damage to the reputation of the person(s) being investigated. Once a pending investigation is publicly announced and put to a vote of the members, the members are placed in the position of (1) knowing that there is an alleged transgression or set of transgressions, and (2) deciding whether a given person or persons is sufficiently likely to be guilty of that alleged transgression or set of transgressions so as to be investigated. This in itself can damage the reputation of the person(s) being investigated, even if the investigation ultimately clears them of any wrongdoing. Having at least a preliminary private process of examining any actions within the USTP would be beneficial in enabling the vast majority of potential issues to be identified and resolved without such reputational damage, and any issues brought before the members would be of such an egregious nature that private means did not suffice to resolve them.

Proposal RNS-1. “Investigators must be impartial with no personal or professional connection to any of the parties involved in the investigation (accusers, the accused, or other individuals of interest sought for questioning in the investigation). Professional connections include but aren’t limited to current or former employees, advisors, board members, and interns for the person or organization under investigation as well as direct competitors of any party under investigation (you can’t investigate your competition). If an impartial investigator cannot be obtained, either from inside or outside our membership, then the investigation must be abandoned.”

USTP Leadership Response: The transhumanist community is small enough, and collaborations on projects by transhumanists are frequent enough, that it is difficult to find any person in the community who does not have a personal or professional connection of some sort with most others in the community. The proposal above also describes the possibility of an outside investigator; however, the outside investigator would likely need to be paid, and the USTP is an organization with extremely limited resources. Furthermore, the limitations above would create de facto immunity for someone who develops such extensive personal and/or professional connections that anyone who could possibly competently investigate that person would be precluded from doing so because of such connections.

Proposal RNS-1. “Internal investigations should not be intended to replace outside investigations and should be limited to how the incident under investigation impacts operation of the USTP. Consequences sought after the conclusion of the investigation shall be limited to administrative action available within the USTP.”

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP already has a process for actions to be taken in response to violations of our Guidelines for Community Conduct. That process does not require an independent investigation, which generally would be too time-consuming to address the most typical kinds of violations, which are at once blatant, public, and quick to have their effects. Thus, if the only consequences are any “administrative action available within the USTP”, then the internal investigation becomes an unnecessary instrument. 

Proposal RNS-1. “The USTP does not have the power to require action or consequences be made by outside organizations.”

USTP Leadership Response: While the USTP, as a practical matter, indeed cannot require another organization to take an action, the USTP does have the ability to express an opinion regarding the actions taken by any other organization and whether or not such actions align with the values and goals of the USTP, as well as whether or not such actions are beneficial to the transhumanist movement or are meritorious more generally. As an organization with definite views and definite outlooks on a large number of issues, projects, and people, the USTP is surely within its rights to express its points of view and, when needed, urge that certain courses of action be taken by other organizations and individuals. The USTP does not have the power to compel those courses of action, but expressing silence on matters that are likely to influence the future of the transhumanist movement is not advisable if by speaking out the USTP is able to make a difference in shaping public opinion.

Proposal RNS-1. “The purpose of the internal investigation shall be made known to the members with a summary of alleged offenses and what questions the investigation seeks to answer. This must be done in a professional manner, excluding personal opinion and potential bias.”

USTP Leadership Response:  Again, doing this may actually create unduly unfavorable impressions of the person(s) being investigated before the investigation is complete. There could be many conceivable cases in which, if an investigation is undertaken, those being investigated would actually prefer that the investigation be done privately and discreetly, at least as an initial approach.

***

Proposal RNS-2. “When declaring an emergency the USTP leadership must publicly announce what the emergency is, why waiting to act would cause immediate increased harm, and the intended course of action sought by the USTP. ”

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP leadership does not oppose the practice of making such a public announcement and will endeavor to do so in the future.

Proposal RNS-2. “This course of action must not deviate from, or spread beyond, the scope of the incident. Meaning any intended action must be clearly and directly related to the emergency.”

USTP Leadership Response: It would seem to be common sense that actions to address an emergency should be related to that emergency. However, there are circumstances where it may be a matter of interpretation whether a particular action is “clearly and directly related to the emergency” or somehow “deviates from” or “spreads beyond” it. If questioned on a particular action, the USTP leadership should be able to provide an explanation of its relationship to the emergency, and that explanation should be given deference unless it is completely nonsensical by any reasonable person’s interpretation.

Proposal RNS-2. “An emergency shall be defined as an unexpected and immediate threat or active instance of the following, pending member further recommendations and approval by membership vote […]”

USTP Leadership Response: The process of arranging a member vote is generally too logistically intense and time-consuming to be feasibly undertaken in cases of a genuine emergency, where swift action is required. It is possible to take a member poll after the fact of a particular major action, to determine whether or not the active portion of the membership agrees with the action that was taken. This was done, for instance, in response to the U.S. Transhumanist Party Statement of Support for Aubrey de Grey, where a member poll shows, as of October 16, 2021, 42 of the 58 members voting (72.4%) expressing agreement with the statement, 10 (17.2%) expressing disagreement, and 6 (10.3%) expressing no opinion or a neutral position. However, in a genuine emergency, such member polling should be done only when there is sufficient reprieve from the pressing need to respond to events that the poll could be accommodated without compromising the ability to actually address the emergency.

Proposal RNS-2. “Threat to life or public safety (threats to life extension shall NOT be included unless the emergency threatens an individual placed in preservation prior to the emergency, such as cryogenics)“.

USTP Leadership Response: Threats to the future and reputation of the life-extension movement and the prospect of attaining radical life extension within our lifetimes should indeed be considered grounds for declaring an emergency, particularly when such threats pertain to the possible derailment of the life-extension cause through hostile characterizations within the court of public opinion. The USTP leadership reminds members that the immutable Core Ideal 1 of the USTP is that “The Transhumanist Party supports significant life extension achieved through the progress of science and technology.” Any act, behavior, allegation, or decision which threatens the fulfillment of Core Ideal 1 and where the USTP has even a possibility of averting the threat through a swift and decisive response, should indeed be subject to potential treatment as an emergency.

Proposal RNS-2.

“Natural disaster
Humanitarian crisis
Credible acts of violence
Direct malicious attack, physical or digital, of USTP property”

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP leadership agrees that these would be valid reasons to declare an emergency.

Proposal RNS-2. “Theft of USTP funds from an official account totaling over X% of the last known balance and more than $X. (Amounts to be decided based on current and future potential needs before vote)”

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP does not currently hold an official account for funds, so this is not a situation that can arise at this time. However, in the future, if any theft were undertaken, this would be grounds for declaring an emergency if necessary. It is not clear why a threshold for doing so is proposed here, as any misappropriation of funds should be able to be dealt with swiftly and effectively.

Proposal RNS-2. “It shall not include:

  • Personal scandal
  • Delays in research
  • Matters of outside businesses or organizations“

USTP Leadership Response: The USTP leadership considers these exclusions to essentially negate any power to declare an emergency. Manufactured personal scandal is one of the easiest tactics to use in today’s cultural and social-media environment in order to damage a person’s career, livelihood, and reputation, without having sufficient evidence to do so within the criteria of any formal legal system. Tying the USTP leadership’s hands in such situations only lends additional power to those who would seek to deploy such a reprehensible tactic with impunity. Delays in research that affects life extension could be a matter of life or death for many transhumanists, and also contravene Core Ideal 1 of the U.S. Transhumanist Party; the USTP leadership should have the authority to endeavor to overcome such delays through all efficacious means, particularly by shaping public opinion if the roadblocks to the research’s continuation are cultural and attitudinal. Furthermore, if “outside businesses or organizations” engage in conduct that materially affects the future of the transhumanist movement, including public perception of transhumanism and life extension, then removing the ability of the USTP to comment on such conduct would simply remove the USTP from the ability to influence such public perception, leaving such influence solely to others, including those hostile to our movement. The USTP leadership does not understand why our organization should intentionally handicap itself when our movement’s detractors intend to do no such thing and have only escalated their attacks as the movement has been reaching various milestones of success.

Proposal RNS-2. “An emergency can only be declared in cases where delayed action would clearly cause increased harm based on the available evidence. If the emergency action is to take longer than 14 days, then it requires further approval by a vote of the membership.”

USTP Leadership Response: Again, criteria such as “clearly cause increased harm based on the available evidence” would be subject to interpretation, and a member who disagrees with the USTP leadership’s judgment as to what is likely to cause harm may then invoke such a clause to assert a veto power over USTP leadership’s actions. The 14-day threshold for a membership vote is unreasonably short, as most membership votes have historically taken longer than 14 days if one considers the prior exposure period alone, but the vote itself should also be open for a reasonably long amount of time to give any member who wishes to vote the opportunity to do so. If this is followed in the circumstances of an emergency, chances are that the rapid events, to which the USTP would need to respond, would have already taken their toll in the form of the undesirable consequences that may occur in the absence of USTP action.  Furthermore, the timing of the resolution of the emergency is contingent on a variety of external events and decisions over which the USTP leadership has no control; however, the USTP leadership can anticipate and has previously experienced situations where pressing situation can last far beyond 14 days, if, for instance, there is a standoff among the individuals and external organizations involved, or if the publication of information related to the matter in question is expected to be spread out over a longer time period (even as social-media commentary on the same matter and its consideration within the court of public opinion continue unabated). 

Proposal by Zach Richardson

Proposal ZR-1.

Proposal in Support of Decisive Executive Action in Times of Emergency:

When executive action is required in the face of a serious threat, the Chairman must have the authority to act decisively.

This proposal reasserts the Chairman’s authority to act decisively in defense of individuals, groups, or organizations by expressing the delegated support of the Party for the individual, group, or organization under assault.  The Chairman retains the authority to advocate for those individuals, groups, or organizations whose goals align with those of the Party. The Chairman is not required to seek the approval of a majority of the party membership to act on behalf of the party, nor does he have to provide justification for his support.

The authority of the Chairman to act on behalf of the party is not intended to supersede the authority of the Party to determine the Party’s position on a particular issue, nor is it intended to diminish the responsibility of the Party to take a position on a particular issue.

The Chairman will retain the authority to act on behalf of the Party, at his or her own discretion, to advocate on behalf of the Party and its members in the event of an emergency, defined as any event that may significantly impact the realization of the goals of the Party as outlined in the Platform.

The Party will seek to continuously empower the Chairman to act on behalf of its members by codifying his/her authority to do so in a manner that is consistent with the principles and standards of the Party, and is consistent with the existing authority of the Party to advocate on behalf of its members as a whole.

The Chairman is empowered to act as the Party’s representative, and to make statements on behalf of the Party, to the media and the public, to advocate on behalf of any individual, group or organization that supports the Party and its Platform, its members and the Party’s philosophy, goals and objectives, to promote the Party’s agenda, candidates and policies, and to respond to attacks on the Party, or on its members, allies or affiliates.

The Chairman has the ability to designate individuals and organizations as “allies” of the Party at his or her discretion, and to permit such “allies” to represent themselves to the public and the media as “allies” and “members” of the Party. Such “allies” are encouraged but not required to support the Platform.

Party members may not seek to compel the Chairman to retract any statement made on behalf of the Party or its allies, affiliates or members; nor may any Party member seek to compel the Chairman to retract any statement made on behalf of the Party or its allies, affiliates, or members by anyone who was so designated by the Chairman.

The Chairman and any of his designees shall ensure the following:

  1. The Party is adequately represented in all communications with the public and the media. In some cases, it may be appropriate to have two or more representatives from the Party speak on behalf of the Party.
  2. The Party is able to provide key information to the public and the media in a timely manner, through press releases, interviews, and particularly social media commentary.
  3. The Party is able to have a significant and positive impact on the outcome or resolution of the emergency.
  4. The Party is able to respond to attacks on the Party, or on any of its members, allies, or affiliates.

If any Party member seeks to compel the Chairman to retract any statement made on behalf of the Party, or its allies, affiliates or members, or any statement made on behalf of the Party by anyone who was designated an ally by the Chairman, the Chairman may assert that the member in question is acting in violation of the Party’s principles and its standards.

The Party pledges to empower the Chairman in a manner that is consistent with the principles and standards of the Party, and is consistent with the existing authority of the Party to advocate on behalf of its members and its Platform. The Party further pledges to make every effort to ensure that the Party, its members, and the Chairman are able to advocate for the Party and its members on a permanent and eternal basis.

It is in the interest of the Party to remain relevant, not only to the Party itself, but to the public, and it is in the spirit of that interest in which the Party empower the Chairman.

The Party therefore pledges to make a good-faith effort to ensure that the Chairman has the opportunity to respond to attacks on the Party, or on any of its members, allies, or affiliates, and finally to ensure that the Chairman is able to engage in the activities described in this proposal on a permanent and hopefully indefinite basis.

Feedback on Zach Richardson’s Proposals by USTP Leadership

The USTP leadership concurs with Proposal ZR-1 from Zach Richardson. Recent events have shown that the transhumanist movement is coming under increasing attack just as it is achieving new milestones in terms of publicity and acquisition of financial resources. We live in a make-or-break moment, not just for human civilization more generally, but for the transhumanist and life-extension movements in particular. It is essential for USTP leadership to have the authority to respond in defense of the values, people, and organizations which the USTP has always supported since its founding, even as those values, people, and organizations come under an unprecedented number of coordinated and insidious attacks. If we bind ourselves by excessive process, but our adversaries do not, then we set ourselves up to lose. If, however, we are able to act swiftly to resolve situations of emergency, this will afford more time to calmly and deliberatively approach most matters under the USTP’s purview, including the ability to organize more member votes on various matters if leadership’s attention is not continually occupied with how to address time-sensitive emergencies in the “procedurally correct” way. Our movement is under attack today, and we need to defend it today. In coming years and epochs, we will be thankful that we did.

Bengali / Bangla Translation of the U.S. Transhumanist Party Values Page – Translated by Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana

Bengali / Bangla Translation of the U.S. Transhumanist Party Values Page – Translated by Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana

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Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana

Editor’s Note: The U.S. Transhumanist Party is pleased to offer this translation of our Values page into Bengali, also known as Bangla, which is the sixth most spoken language in the world and the official language in Bangladesh. Our new Director of Foreign Relations and Foreign Ambassador in Malaysia, Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana, was kind enough to furnish this translation. The U.S. Transhumanist Party sees translations of our texts into other languages as crucial for spreading awareness of the ideas of transhumanism to broader audiences, particularly in the developing world, where there is considerable interest in technological progress and its immediate application to raise living standards.

~ Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman, United States Transhumanist Party  

What We Stand For

The U.S. Transhumanist Party is focused on policy rather than politics as conventionally defined. We value initiatives and reforms that will improve the human condition for as many people as possible, with as much beneficial impact as possible – and without regard for scoring political points or defeating “the other side”. We seek to achieve the next, greatest era of our civilization, which will require constructive solutions to the problems of our current era. All of these problems can be solved if we look away from the political trench warfare of today and up toward a far brighter future.

Bengali / Bangla Translation

আমরা কি জন্য দাঁড়িয়েইউএস ট্রান্সহুমানিস্ট পার্টি প্রচলিতভাবে সংজ্ঞায়িত রাজনীতির পরিবর্তে নীতির উপর দৃষ্টি নিবদ্ধ করে। আমরা এমন উদ্যোগ এবং সংস্কারকে মূল্য দেই যা মানুষের অবস্থার উন্নতি করবে যতটা সম্ভব মানুষের উপকারের জন্য, যতটা সম্ভব উপকারী প্রভাব – এবং রাজনৈতিক পয়েন্ট স্কোর করা বা “অন্য দিক” কে পরাস্ত না করে। আমরা আমাদের সভ্যতার পরবর্তী, সর্বশ্রেষ্ঠ যুগ অর্জন করতে চাই, যার জন্য আমাদের বর্তমান যুগের সমস্যার গঠনমূলক সমাধান প্রয়োজন। এই সমস্ত সমস্যার সমাধান করা যেতে পারে যদি আমরা আজকের রাজনৈতিক পরিখা যুদ্ধ থেকে দূরে এবং আরও উজ্জ্বল ভবিষ্যতের দিকে তাকাই।

Core Ideals:

Ideal 1. The Transhumanist Party supports significant life extension achieved through the progress of science and technology.

Ideal 2. The Transhumanist Party supports a cultural, societal, and political atmosphere informed and animated by reason, science, and secular values.

Ideal 3. The Transhumanist Party supports efforts to use science, technology, and rational discourse to reduce and eliminate various existential risks to the human species.

Bengali / Bangla Translation

মূল আদর্শ:

আদর্শ 1.ট্রান্সহুম্যানিস্টপার্টি বিজ্ঞান ও প্রযুক্তির অগ্রগতির মাধ্যমে অর্জিত উল্লেখযোগ্য জীবন সম্প্রসারণকে সমর্থন করে।

আদর্শ ২। ট্রানশুম্যানিস্ট পার্টি যুক্তি, বিজ্ঞান এবং ধর্মনিরপেক্ষ মূল্যবোধের মাধ্যমে একটি সাংস্কৃতিক, সামাজিক এবং রাজনৈতিক পরিবেশকে অবগত এবং প্রাণবন্ত সমর্থন করে।

আদর্শ The। ট্রান্সহুম্যানিস্ট পার্টি মানব প্রজাতির বিভিন্ন অস্তিত্বের ঝুঁকি কমাতে এবং দূর করার জন্য বিজ্ঞান, প্রযুক্তি এবং যুক্তিসঙ্গত বক্তৃতা ব্যবহার করার প্রচেষ্টাকে সমর্থন করে।

Values and Goals from our Platform:

Find the U.S. Transhumanist Party Platform as Article VI of our Constitution or in this standalone presentation. Below is just a selection of some of our key values and goals, as determined by votes of our members, but we have many other ideas as well, and we also frame the ideas below with a great deal of thought and detail.

  • Individual privacy and liberty over how to apply technology to one’s personal life. [Article VI, Section I]
  • Tolerance and inclusivity of all individuals of all races, genders, classes, religions, creeds, national origins, and other characteristics. [Article VI, Section II]
  • Support of most technologies but opposition to certain detrimental technologies (e.g., weapons of mass destruction, privacy-infringing technologies, engineering of new pathogens).  [Article VI, Section III]
  • Opposition to nuclear weapons, support of complete nuclear disarmament, even if unilateral. [Article VI, Section IV]
  • Support of research on eradicating disease.  [Article VI, Section V]
  • Morphological freedom.  [Article VI, Section VI]
  • Support of all values and efforts toward cultivation of science, technology, reason. [Article VI, Section VII]
  • Support of all emerging technologies that improve the human condition, including:

° Autonomous vehicles

° Electric vehicles

° Economical solar power

° Safe nuclear power

° Hydroelectricity

° Geothermal power

° Applications for the sharing of durable goods

° Artificial intelligence

° Biotechnology

° Nanotechnology

° Robotics

° Rapid transit

° 3D printing

° Vertical farming

° Electronic devices to detect and respond to trauma

° Beneficial genetic modification of plants, animals, and human beings   [Article VI, Section IX]

  • Ending the drug war. [Article VI, Section XIV]
  • Reforming the prison system to reduce the incarcerated population. [Article VI, Section XV]
  • Universal Basic Income (UBI) – not conditional on life circumstances, occupations, other income, or wealth. [Article VI, Section XVI]
  • Reasonable measures to fund space travel. [Article VI, Section XVII]
  • Using science and technology to eliminate disabilities. [Article VI, Section XVIII]
  • Ending the two-party duopoly. [Article VI, Section XIX]
  • Life extension / anti-aging. [Article VI, Sections V, VIII, IX]
  • Removal of barriers to medical research and deployment of treatments. [Article VI, Sections LXXIX, LXXX, LXXXI, LXXXII]
  • Reducing the national debt. [Article VI, Section XXXV]
  • Alternative sources of energy and their technological implementations. [Article VI, Section XXXVIII]
  • Increasing the budget of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). [Article VI, SectionLXXVII]
  • Support for political, economic, and cultural experimentation – e.g., seasteads and micronations. [Article VI, SectionXXII]
  • Children’s rights proportional to their rational faculties. [Article VI, Sections XXIII, LXII]
  • Animal welfare (but not “animal liberation”). [Article VI, Section XXIV]
  • Opposition to intolerant, rights-violating, anti-technological, and compulsion-imposing doctrines, be they religious or secular. [Article VI, Sections XXV, XL, LXIII]

Bengali / Bangla Translation

আমাদের প্ল্যাটফর্ম থেকে মূল্য এবং লক্ষ্য:

আমাদের সংবিধানের ষষ্ঠ অনুচ্ছেদ বা এই স্বতন্ত্র উপস্থাপনায় ইউএস ট্রান্সহুমানিস্ট পার্টি প্ল্যাটফর্ম খুঁজুন। নীচে আমাদের সদস্যদের ভোটের দ্বারা নির্ধারিত আমাদের মূল মূল্যবোধ এবং লক্ষ্যগুলির মধ্যে একটি নির্বাচন করা হয়েছে, তবে আমাদের আরও অনেক ধারণা রয়েছে এবং আমরা নীচের ধারণাগুলিও প্রচুর চিন্তাভাবনা এবং বিশদভাবে তৈরি করেছি।

One ব্যক্তির ব্যক্তিগত জীবনে কীভাবে প্রযুক্তি প্রয়োগ করা যায় সে বিষয়ে ব্যক্তিগত গোপনীয়তা এবং স্বাধীনতা। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ I]

Ra সকল জাতি, লিঙ্গ, শ্রেণী, ধর্ম, গোত্র, জাতীয় উৎপত্তি এবং অন্যান্য বৈশিষ্ট্যের সকল ব্যক্তির সহনশীলতা এবং অন্তর্ভুক্তি। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ II]

Most অধিকাংশ প্রযুক্তির সমর্থন কিন্তু কিছু ক্ষতিকারক প্রযুক্তির বিরোধিতা (যেমন, ব্যাপক ধ্বংসের অস্ত্র, গোপনীয়তা-লঙ্ঘনকারী প্রযুক্তি, নতুন প্যাথোজেনের প্রকৌশল)। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ III]

Nuclear পারমাণবিক অস্ত্রের বিরোধিতা, সম্পূর্ণ পারমাণবিক নিরস্ত্রীকরণ সমর্থন, এমনকি একতরফা হলেও। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ IV]

Erad রোগ নির্মূলে গবেষণার সমর্থন। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ V]

  • রূপক স্বাধীনতা। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ VI]

Science বিজ্ঞান, প্রযুক্তি, যুক্তির চাষের প্রতি সকল মূল্যবোধ এবং প্রচেষ্টার সমর্থন। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ VII]

Emer সমস্ত উদীয়মান প্রযুক্তির সমর্থন যা মানুষের অবস্থার উন্নতি করে, যার মধ্যে রয়েছে:

° স্বায়ত্তশাসিত যানবাহন

বৈদ্যুতিক যানবাহন

° অর্থনৈতিক সৌর শক্তি

Nuclear নিরাপদ পরমাণু শক্তি

Dro জলবিদ্যুৎ

° ভূ -তাপীয় শক্তি

D টেকসই পণ্য ভাগ করার জন্য আবেদন

° কৃত্রিম বুদ্ধিমত্তা

° জৈবপ্রযুক্তি

° ন্যানো প্রযুক্তি

° রোবটিক্স

° দ্রুত পরিবহন

° 3D মুদ্রণ

Ert উল্লম্ব চাষ

° ইলেকট্রনিক ডিভাইস ট্রমা সনাক্ত এবং সাড়া

Plants উদ্ভিদ, প্রাণী এবং মানুষের উপকারী জেনেটিক পরিবর্তন [নিবন্ধ VI, বিভাগ IX]

The মাদক যুদ্ধের অবসান। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XIV]

Ar বন্দী জনসংখ্যা কমাতে জেল ব্যবস্থার সংস্কার। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XV]

  • ইউনিভার্সাল বেসিক ইনকাম (ইউবিআই) – জীবনের পরিস্থিতি, পেশা, অন্যান্য আয় বা সম্পদের উপর শর্তাধীন নয়। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XVI]

Space মহাকাশ ভ্রমণের তহবিল যুক্তিসঙ্গত ব্যবস্থা। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XVII]

Dis অক্ষমতা দূর করতে বিজ্ঞান ও প্রযুক্তি ব্যবহার করা। [আর্টিকেল VI, সেকশন XVIII]

The দুই পক্ষের দ্বৈরথের অবসান। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XIX]

  • লাইফ এক্সটেনশন / অ্যান্টি-এজিং। [আর্টিকেল VI, সেকশন V, VIII, IX]

Research চিকিৎসা গবেষণায় বাধা অপসারণ এবং চিকিত্সা মোতায়েন। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ LXXIX, LXXX, LXXXI, LXXXII]

National জাতীয় debtণ কমানো। [নিবন্ধ VI, বিভাগ XXXV]

Energy শক্তির বিকল্প উৎস এবং তাদের প্রযুক্তিগত প্রয়োগ। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XXXVIII]

Health জাতীয় স্বাস্থ্য ইনস্টিটিউট (NIH) এর বাজেট বাড়ানো। [নিবন্ধ VI, বিভাগ LXXVII]

Political রাজনৈতিক, অর্থনৈতিক এবং সাংস্কৃতিক পরীক্ষা -নিরীক্ষার জন্য সমর্থন – যেমন, সমুদ্রের তীর এবং মাইক্রোনেশন। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XXII]

  • শিশুদের অধিকার তাদের যৌক্তিক অনুষদের সমানুপাতিক। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XXIII, LXII]
  • পশু কল্যাণ (কিন্তু “পশু মুক্তি” নয়) [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XXIV]

Into অসহিষ্ণু, অধিকার-লঙ্ঘনকারী, প্রযুক্তি-বিরোধী, এবং বাধ্যতামূলক-চাপিয়ে দেওয়া মতবাদের বিরোধিতা, সে ধর্মীয় বা ধর্মনিরপেক্ষ হোক। [ধারা VI, বিভাগ XXV, XL, LXIII]

Sharif Uddin Ahmed Rana is the Director of Foreign Relations and Foreign Ambassador in Malaysia for the U.S. Transhumanist Party. Find out more about him here. 

The Truly Radical Aspect of the Transhumanist Party – Article by Martin van der Kroon

The Truly Radical Aspect of the Transhumanist Party – Article by Martin van der Kroon

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Martin van der Kroon

The Transhumanist Party does not stand against other parties, but rather stands for positive change for humanity, science, healthcare, and ultimately for helping improve planet Earth and all life that inhabits it. Transhumanism often conjures up a mental picture of TV series like Altered Carbon, Black Mirror, the movies Johnny Mnemonic, Alita, and Blade Runner, or video games like Deus Ex, or Cyberpunk 2077. The Transhumanist Party is not against this, but rather for progress to improve health, and extend life through medical and scientific breakthroughs, and this could come in the form of cybernetic enhancements, but if different and equally viable and successful methods were to be discovered, we’d be equally thrilled about it.

This is a common misconception, and often an obstacle for people to support the Transhumanist Party, or even take it seriously. Despite that Transhumanism as a whole is conflated with cybernetics and robotics, those are merely possible tools to achieve the goals of extending life, but more importantly improving the lives and well-being of people. Ultimately, it would be great if people can have the option to live healthy for a much longer period, or indefinitely if they wish to, rather than being confined to a small window of time between two eternities.

Another image people might have when thinking of Transhumanism or the Transhumanist Party is that of people’s minds, brains, and memories being uploaded to ‘the cloud’. This is something a lot of Transhumanists would definitely be excited about, but let’s take a small step back. Even if you’re not excited about uploading your brain, or even those of loved ones to ‘the cloud’, there is still a lot to be excited about. When we could achieve this, that fundamentally requires us to have a much more sophisticated and complete understanding of the complexities of the brain, and with that likely also much more knowledge on how to treat various diseases and ailments that affect humans today. Another way “uploading to the cloud” could be useful is as a temporary storage during an operation, much like a heart-lung machine can already do now.

The Transhumanist Party is very different from what you are used to seeing in politics, or even in worldviews, in a sense it is radical much like the industrial revolution, the home computer, or the smartphone. The Transhumanist Party is not the solution to every problem we face as a species, but instead wants to be a constructive force to enable people to seek solutions, rather than push back against positive and transformative progress. That is the radical part about The Transhumanist Party, to enable progress through thoughtful regulation and thinking ahead and long-term, rather than stifle progress with knee jerk reactions based on short-term thinking.

Martin van der Kroon is a member of the U.S. Transhumanist Party and previously served as its Director of Recruitment in 2017.

Petition to President Joe Biden – Appoint Dr. Martine Rothblatt to Lead the NIH!

Petition to President Joe Biden – Appoint Dr. Martine Rothblatt to Lead the NIH!

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 Daniel C. Elton, Ph.D. and Ben Ballweg

 

Bigger. Bolder. Faster.

Innovation requires risk-taking, but the culture of medicine is overly conservative.

The NIH currently does a poor job of funding high-risk, long-term projects, focusing on conservative, incremental work instead. This is a shame because given the NIH’s unique size and structure, they are one of the few entities in the world capable of taking on ambitious projects. Under the right leadership, NIH is uniquely positioned to realize breakthroughs in 3D-printed organs, gene therapy, artificial wombs, molecular nanotechnology, and age-reversal biomedicine. To shake things up at the NIH, the reign of overly-conservative and myopic MDs as NIH directors must end.

We need a visionary to lead NIH, someone with a history of bold thinking, execution, zero-to-one innovation, and inspiring leadership. There is no better candidate to fill this need than Dr. Martine Rothblatt.

Ethics deep in her core

In her 1997 book Unzipped Genes, Rothblatt explored the legal, ethical and political issues arising from the sequencing of the human genome. She led the International Bar Association’s project to draft the Universal Declaration on the Human Genome and Human Rights for the UN, which was officially adopted by the UN General Assembly in 1998. In 2001, she obtained a Ph.D. in medical ethics from Queen Mary University of London. In 2004, she co-founded the Terasem Movement Foundation with her wife Bina Aspen to promote the ethical use of nanotechnology for human health.

Founder, leader, innovator

Martine grew up in a working-class suburb of San Diego and exhibited intense interest and passion for science and technology from a young age. As an undergraduate, Rothblatt became a convert to Gerard K. O’Neill’s “High Frontier” plan for space colonization and threw her energies into advancing the nascent private space industry. Rothblatt held key founding roles in several satellite communications companies before founding SiriusXM in 1990. Working on Capitol Hill, she used her acumen as a regulatory lawyer to convince FCC regulators to grant her the necessary permissions.

In 1994, motivated by her daughter’s diagnosis with pulmonary hypertension, Rothblatt decided to enter the world of life sciences. She first founded the PPH Cure Foundation and then the molecular biotech company United Therapeutics, where she has served as Chairman & CEO since its inception. As of 2021 United Therapeutics has saved the lives of countless patients through their drugs for pulmonary hypertension and neuroblastoma, and is valued at 8.7 Billion and employs close to a thousand people. United Therapeutics is now leading the world in developing 3D-printable organs to address the dire transplant shortage.

In 2013, Rothblatt was reported to be the highest-paid female CEO in America, based on the value of the stock options in her compensation package. In 2017, Forbes named her among the “100 Greatest Living Business Minds” of the past century, citing her achievements as a “perpetual reinventor, founder of Sirius and United Therapeutics, and creator of PanAmSat.”

 

Dr. Rothblatt with her wife Bina and daughter Jenesis.
Dr. Rothblatt with her wife Bina and daughter Jenesis.

Transgender trailblazer and fierce advocate

Born as Martin Rothblatt, she underwent gender-reassignment surgery in 1994 at the age of 40, and soon after changed her name to Martine. A vocal advocate for transgender dignity, she authored The Apartheid of Sex: A Manifesto on the Freedom of Gender and From Transgender to Transhuman: A Manifesto on the Freedom of Form. She forcefully argues for the adoption of “a new sexual model that accommodates every shade of gender identity.”

In 2010, Rothblatt and Aspen received the Vicki Sexual Freedom Award from the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, a nonprofit that advocates for sexual freedom as a fundamental human right. In 2019, Rothblatt was named one of “the 23 most powerful LGBTQ+ people in tech” by Business Insider. If appointed NIH Director, Martine would not only be the first woman to hold the post, but also one of the highest-ranking transgender persons in the federal government. By appointing Dr. Rothblatt to lead the NIH we can be confident that the goals and ideals of equity, diversity, and inclusion will flow from the top.


If you agree that Dr. Rothblatt should lead the NIH, please sign this petition:
Appoint Dr. Martine Rothblatt as Director of the NIH!

 

Dan Elton, Ph. D., is Director of Scholarship for the U.S. Transhumanist Party.  You can find him on Twitter at @moreisdifferent, where he accepts direct messages. If you like his content, check out his website and subscribe to his newsletter on Substack.

Ben Ballweg is Director of Longevity Outreach at the U.S. Transhumanist Party. 

100 Student Scholarships Now Available for RAADfest 2021 – Announcement by the Coalition for Radical Life Extension

100 Student Scholarships Now Available for RAADfest 2021 – Announcement by the Coalition for Radical Life Extension

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Coalition for Radical Life Extension

As an organization that supports the Coalition for Radical Life Extension, the U.S. Transhumanist Party provides the following announcement from the Coalition regarding RAADfest – https://www.raadfest.com/. The U.S. Transhumanist Party considers this a highly valuable opportunity for many students of limited financial means to attend RAADfest 2021 free of charge. Among the many sessions that this will enable students to watch, there will be a panel on longevity activism in which USTP Chairman Gennady Stolyarov II will participate on October 3, 2021, at 2:30 p.m. Pacific Time.

 

100 Student Scholarships now available for RAADfest 2021
October 1 – 3 online

Attend RAADfest online, the largest super longevity event of its kinds, free of charge. Get informed about the most cutting-edge longevity research and protocols. Connect with like-minded people who are committed to radically extending life.

Who is eligible: Students with limited financial means
Requirements: Current student ID

The Coalition for Radical Life Extension, the presenter of RAADfest, is committed to promoting longevity education. That’s why we’re offering 100 scholarships to students with limited financial means to join RAADfest 2021 Online.

As students today, you may be part of the first immortal generation. Learn what you can do to help bring about radical life extension, both on a personal level and through your activism.

Hear from the top scientists, clinicians, and thought leaders in the field. From Neuroscientist Dr. Kristen Willeumier, pioneering gerontologist Dr. Bill Andrews, and futurist Dr. Natasha Vita-More to top anti-aging clinicians such as Dr. Sandra Kaufmann and Dr. Joe Cleaver, groundbreaking entrepreneurs Bill Faloon, Liz Parrish, and Dave Asprey, the lineup is loaded
with information and inspiration.

Presented by the non-profit Coalition for Radical Life Extension, RAADfest’s mission is to provide the most accurate and actionable information to support people living longer and living better. You can gain a huge head-start by living a longevity lifestyle right now. You can also help spread the word about the future of longevity.

“RAADfest is the only event of its kind that brings this depth and breadth of expertise presented for a general audience,” says James Strole, Director of the Coalition for Radical Life Extension.
“That’s why we’re growing all the time, because we impact peoples’ lives in very direct and positive ways.”

Contact us at info@rlecoalition.com.

U.S. Transhumanist Party Statement of Support for Dr. Aubrey de Grey

U.S. Transhumanist Party Statement of Support for Dr. Aubrey de Grey

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September 28, 2021 – In recent weeks the United States Transhumanist Party (USTP), many of its members, and others within the transhumanist and life-extension communities have expressed resounding support for the character, ideas, and work of biomedical gerontologist Dr. Aubrey de Grey, originator of the concept of SENS – Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence – and co-founder of both the Methuselah Foundation in 2003 and the SENS Research Foundation (SENS RF) in 2009. Many individuals who admire Dr. de Grey and his work have also shared their profound concerns at the deep injustice perpetrated by the SENS RF Board of Directors when it removed Dr. de Grey from his position as Chief Science Officer of the SENS RF on August 21, 2021, without waiting for the conclusion of the investigation into certain allegations that had been made against him. 

The USTP considers the allegations against Dr. de Grey to unjustly cast him in an unfavorable light, despite a lack of sufficient evidence behind those allegations, and despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary – evidence of Dr. de Grey’s upstanding character, integrity, and generous treatment of numerous persons with whom he has interacted. 

Many transhumanists and longevity advocates have also shared their positive experiences with Aubrey de Grey. These testimonials are attached in the Appendix of this statement.

The USTP shares the displeasure of these transhumanists and life-extension advocates at the purported “independent” Investigative Report, released on September 10, 2021, which appears to have been commissioned by the SENS RF Board of Directors to validate a preconceived course of action and without providing any benefit of due process or the presumption of innocence to Aubrey de Grey. The Board’s action was particularly ill-conceived since a second Investigative Report, which was provided to the Board on September 28, 2021, apparently failed to find any additional credible accusers or allegations, despite three months of exhaustively searching for such – hence the SENS RF Board’s decision not to disclose that report to the public, as its disclosure would clearly illustrate to everyone involved the immensely overhyped character of the entire incident and also thereby show the manifestly unjust and untenable nature of the SENS RF Board’s decision to terminate Dr. de Grey. 

The USTP views the first Investigative Report as lacking true independence, as being based on a weak “preponderance of evidence” standard, and as primarily expressing the investigator’s subjective opinions without introducing substantive new information about the allegations in question. USTP Chairman Gennady Stolyarov II previously published a detailed analysis of the first Investigative Report and noted, “This report underscores the essentially ubiquitous fact that, in corporate America, ‘he who pays the piper calls the tune.’ There is no true possibility of a neutral, independent investigation when the investigator is financially compensated by one of the parties with a preconceived interest in the outcome. Whatever the personal ethics of the investigator, it would remain the case – and this is true for any paid professional contractor – that she would be concerned about where her future revenue stream would be coming from. Releasing a report that challenged or undermined the well-publicized intentions of (and actions already taken by) her clients – the Board of the SENS Research Foundation – would have jeopardized her future opportunities to be retained by the same clients or similar corporate boards, whose interest is not so much in the objective truth, but rather in ratifying the legitimacy of the Board’s actions after the fact and mitigating adverse publicity.”

The USTP is further troubled that a mere allegation of what amounts to no more than comments made years ago could have such a devastating impact to the life’s work and career of one of the brightest and most accomplished scientists in the rejuvenation biotechnology field. Whereas anyone accused of crimes such as murder or theft would be entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, the writing of a poorly thought-out email nearly a decade ago, or the alleged making of an implausible suggestion at a dinner multiple years ago (for which there is no concrete evidence at all), seems not to merit those same protections in the minds of those wishing to act as judge, jury, and executioner in the present contrived scandal. It is clear to the USTP that these matters have only surfaced because of Dr. de Grey’s immense fundraising success in attracting an unprecedented $28 million in funding to the SENS RF as a result of the PulseChain Airdrop in July 2021. Even if the allegations made by “Complainant #1” and “Complainant #2” had been true, at worst the transgressions alleged would have amounted to unfortunate errors of judgment, for which an apology in private – not the destruction of a career and reputation – would have been the appropriate remedy. 

Indeed, the absolute disproportionality between the alleged offense and the punishment is clear indication of an ulterior motive, whereby certain interests sought the removal of Dr. de Grey irrespective of the reason, and the present allegations were merely a convenient pretext to justify such removal. It is the hope of the USTP that the nature of the ulterior motives and the persons behind them will be revealed in due time. 

In the meantime, the USTP calls for the SENS RF Board of Directors to immediately take the following actions:

1. Reinstate Dr. de Grey as Chief Science Officer;

2. Issue a complete retraction and disavowal of the irreparably flawed first “Investigative Report” of September 10, 2021;

3. Issue a public apology to Dr. de Grey for publicly tarnishing his reputation with unsubstantiated allegations and for terminating him on August 21, 2021, without due process; and

4. Effectuate the resignation of the Board member(s) who instigated the courses of action above. This does not pertain to the entire current Board of Directors, but rather to the specific member(s) who originated the plan and made the recommendation to the other Board members to terminate Dr. de Grey’s role as Chief Science Officer.

Until the aforementioned steps are taken, the USTP urges its members and other donors to discontinue all financial support from the SENS RF. The USTP considers the SENS approach to be inextricably linked with the ideas, contributions, and work of Dr. de Grey – and removing Dr. de Grey from any effort identified by the name “SENS” would leave that effort an empty shell, devoid of its essence and core organizing impetus.   

Dr. de Grey remains a trusted Advisor and ally of the USTP, and the USTP stands ready to support him and to offer our resources and online platforms to amplify his voice. As USTP Chairman Stolyarov remarked, “Dr. Aubrey de Grey’s work is literally saving lives, and the extent of his ability to continue this work going forward will affect how many lives are saved and how soon. Approximately 110,000 people die every day of causes related to biological aging. We cannot simply let these deaths transpire because of the allegations of two decade-old emails and an implausible comment. The stakes cannot be higher, and Aubrey de Grey deserves to be acknowledged as a hero for being on the front lines of the struggle for your life and mine.” 

Appendix: Testimonials in Support of Dr. Aubrey de Grey by Transhumanists and Life-Extension Advocates

Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman of the U.S. Transhumanist Party, recalled the transformative impact that Aubrey de Grey has had on his thinking and his view of what is possible. “Since I was a young child, I was always convinced that death due to aging is the greatest tragedy and injustice, but until I learned about the SENS approach through the work of Aubrey de Grey in 2004, I did not expect that biological aging could be reversed within my lifetime. Aubrey de Grey changed that perception for me. He has spent over two decades tirelessly spreading the insights of the SENS approach, working to convince me and eventually many others – both scientists and laypersons – that longevity escape velocity may be within reach if enough people embrace and fund this goal. Recognition of the potential of this approach to overcome the greatest injustice of all was, of course, life-changing for me, and led to my involvement with the transhumanist and longevity communities over the ensuing years. During my interactions with him, I have always found Aubrey de Grey to be remarkably approachable, generous with his time, and willing to help anybody seeking to understand the SENS approach and effective ways to promote it. Most individuals of Aubrey de Grey’s level of fame and workload would not be so open – but this speaks to the kind of person Aubrey de Grey is: uncommonly transparent, straightforward, insightful, and willing to share those insights sincerely and with the best intentions. The longevity industry today would be many years further behind were it not for Aubrey de Grey’s diligent advocacy, inspiration, and creation of networks of researchers, activists, and entrepreneurs who have been able to take rejuvenation biotechnology from the idea stage and into research breakthroughs and human clinical trials.”     

Arin Vahanian, Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Transhumanist Party, recounted his interactions with Aubrey de Grey: “I first met Aubrey de Grey at RAADfest 2018 (coincidentally, that was also when I met my dear friend Gennady for the first time). Aubrey not only took time out of his schedule to chat, but he also invited me to the SENS booth. I found him to be thoughtful, humble, and kind. Earlier this year, I participated in a panel discussion with Aubrey with other officers of the Transhumanist Party, and he was not only very supportive of Transhumanism and the Transhumanist Party, but he also encouraged me to follow my goal of being involved in the biotech industry as a business executive.”

Artist and USTP Member Ekaterina Valinakova stated that she “met with Aubrey de Grey some years ago; he was pretty cool. He is a legend, and his work and contributions probably will lead to the saving of millions of lives. If Aubrey did not exist, the timeline for longevity escape velocity would probably be pushed back several years at least, perhaps as much as a decade. This translates to the difference between life and death for some of you here [reading this], and more importantly this translates to the difference between life and death for possibly hundreds of millions of people.”

Charlie Kam, the USTP Director of Marketing and previously the U.S. Transhumanist Party’s endorsed 2020 U.S. Presidential Candidate, stated, “Dr Aubrey de Grey  is by far, one of the most dedicated humanitarian visionaries of our time, focused on the most important issue of ALL time, which is that of saving lives by ending aging.  I’ve known of Aubrey and his amazing ideas long before he had even founded the SENS Foundation in 2009. I had read his writings, and met him, and listened to his presentations at several events throughout the early 2000s, and was so impressed, that by 2007, when I held the 3-day TransVision conference in Chicago, with over 30 speakers, I asked him to be one of the few star Keynote speakers, which included the likes of Ray Kurzweil and William Shatner. In all of our encounters over the years, both professionally and socially, I’ve known him to always be brilliantly engaging, humble, jovial, caring, respectful, and uncommonly generous. This last quality I mentioned, isn’t just my opinion, but was clearly and overwhelmingly proven to be factual in 2012, when he inherited $16 million, and then immediately proceeded to donate $13 million of it to the SENS Foundation. This action demonstrates not only his generosity, but also his integrity, and dedication to the cause, and success, of the SENS Research Foundation.”

“So I find it shocking, disappointing, and, frankly, rather foolish, and possibly corrupt, that the SENS RF Board would fire the very person who not only founded their foundation, but funded it in a large way.”

“I agree with the assessment presented by the USTP of the situation and the suggested remedies, which includes Aubrey’s reinstatement, a retraction of the tainted investigation, a public apology, and a ‘clean-up’ of the SENS board. And I would add one more caveat: If the SENS Research Foundation does not reinstate Aubrey because they believe he is of such immoral character, then they should not be willing to accept his ‘dirty money,’ and should return to him his $13 million donation!”

USTP Director of Publication Zach Richardson recalled, “I still remember the surge of excitement I felt reading the penultimate sentence of Chapter 4 in Ending Aging: ‘Michael Rae and I have worked hard in Part 2 to present cutting-edge science in a manner comprehensible to any educated layman who’s willing to put in the time to read it carefully.’ Educated layman, that was my preferred self-description! Aubrey laid down the law about the seven types of damage involved in aging, and I referred to the book at least once a quarter whenever I was agitating online. His idea of treating the effects of aging as an engineering problem to be solved, like replacing a broken windshield, reassured me that aging was a problem that could be beaten, and I was extremely pleased he had started the SENS RF. Aubrey has a powerful force of personality, and his dynamic and driven methodology is what is needed for anyone currently alive to have a chance at reaching Longevity Escape Velocity.”

USTP Member Rudi Hoffman explained, “Trust can be bifurcated into two components…do we trust a person’s INTENT, and do we trust their COMPETENCE?  In both of these components, Dr. de Grey scores a perfect ten with reference to his foundational and epic work on human longevity.”

“Having been with Dr. de Grey in both professional presentations as well as social situations, I can attest to the depth of his basic decency, caring, and congruence with the enlightenment values modern humans share.  In studying his book, the clarity of his thinking and the depth of his commitment is apparent.  He has been uniquely effective in changing society’s basic paradigm about aging and death, in part because of his singular personality.”

“Along with others, I am shocked and dismayed at the disproportionate response by the SENS board to allegations of harassment.  Even if true, a private apology might be warranted in response to the alleged statements, certainly not banishment from the organization Dr. de Grey has created, built, and helped fund.”

“I implore the SENS board to reconsider their actions and find a path toward cohesiveness, proportionality, and effective operations which are a direct result of one visionary human named Dr. Aubrey de Grey.  Aubrey may not be a perfect human, but I would literally trust him with my life.  It is very possible that our lives may thrive or wither based on rational minds prevailing in this matter.”

USTP Member Walter Crompton remarked, “I have spent considerable time with Aubrey, and never observed him speaking disrespectfully to, or about anyone, even though he seems comfortable speaking frankly with me.”

USTP Member Elysia Dawn commented, “Aubrey is one of the kindest and most generous people I have ever known. He only ever treated me with respect and kindness. I never saw him intentionally disrespect anyone.”

USTP Member Morris F. Johnson expressed his view that “It’s really sad [Aubrey de Grey] has to endure this. But when SENS started, he was touted as either a fool or a lunatic. He had proved to be a great global thought leader.”

Curry Taylor recounted that he “met [Aubrey de Grey] at RAADfest once; he was nothing but polite. We had a discussion about possible funding of SENS in the future. He was very optimistic about SENS’s future and also the future of aging-reversal research.”

Martin Lipovšek added, “Every time when I met Aubrey in person I saw a great human. I support defending him against accusations which work on the principle of ‘guilty until proven innocent.’”

Hugo Schmidt stated, “Aubrey’s been one of the most significant people I have ever met. He’s always been a gentleman, and a good-natured eccentric. I am convinced future generations will be thanking him. All of them.”

Report on the Development of Transhumanism in Togo – by Siba Tcha-Mouza

Report on the Development of Transhumanism in Togo – by Siba Tcha-Mouza

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Siba Tcha-Mouza

Editor’s Note: The U.S. Transhumanist Party features this overview of recent transhumanist progress in Togo from our Foreign Ambassador for Togo, Siba Tcha-Mouza.  Here Mr. Tcha-Mouza focuses on the recent creation of the Lomé Data Centre and its implications for the spread of transhumanist ideas and opportunities on the African continent. 

~ Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman, United States Transhumanist Party, September 28, 2021

The policy of the United States Transhumanist Party is based primarily on science and technology allowing the improvement of the physical, mental, and moral characteristics of the human being.  In practice, it is about the material, psychic, and social development of the human being thanks to the development of science and technology.  In this perspective, our representation in Togo would like to congratulate the efforts of the Togolese authorities for the creation of a Tier III level data center called Lomé Data Centre and inaugurated on June 4, 2021.

This project was funded by the World Bank as part of the West African Regional Communications Infrastructure Program (WARCIP) regional infrastructure development program and is part of the growth strategy supported by digital transformation.  It is an essential step forward for participation in the Fourth Technological Revolution.

The ambition to develop one of the fields of converging technologies makes it inevitable to explore all the other components of the fourth technological revolution.  Nanotechnology, biotechnology, computer science, and neuroscience necessarily intervene on top of each other to resolve technical dead ends and sometimes open the door to unheard-of possibilities.

The creation of Lomé Data Centre would undoubtedly be a first step which will necessarily require the intervention of artificial intelligence (AI) to be more optimal.  The mastery of this technological reality which is artificial intelligence (AI) will have a profound impact on almost all other fields by giving Togo a new impetus for technological development.

Our representation encourages such initiatives which are emerging more and more in Africa, and in particular in Togo, and hopes that other projects, within the framework of converging sciences and technologies, are born in order to accelerate scientific and technological research.  Thus, Togo would ensure its technological transformation and participate in the Fourth Technological Revolution.

Siba Tcha-Mouza
United States Transhumanist Party Foreign Ambassador for Togo

What is Transhumanism? – Graphics by Luis Arroyo

What is Transhumanism? – Graphics by Luis Arroyo

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Luis Arroyo

Editor’s Note: The U.S. Transhumanist Party features this set of graphics by our member Luis Arroyo to bring attention to an interesting and worthwhile outlook on transhumanism. This is meant as a brief but informative overview of some transhumanist ideas as well as the diversity of thought within the transhumanist movement. Also, these graphics are effective for sharing on various social-media platforms.

~ Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman, United States Transhumanist Party, August 26, 2021

References

[1] Agence France-Presse. “Paralysed man walks using mind-controlled exoskeleton”. 4 October 2019. Available at https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/oct/04/paralysed-man-walks-using-mind-controlled-exoskeleton

[2] Katie Tan. “Duke surgical team successfully implants new generation artificial heart in patient, first in U.S.” The Duke Chronicle. 29 July 2021. Available at https://www.dukechronicle.com/article/2021/07/duke-university-hospital-health-artificial-heart-transplant-research-study-carmat

[3] Saqib Shah. “A magnetic helmet shrunk a deadly tumor in world-first test”. Engadget. 26 July 2021. Available at https://www.engadget.com/magnetic-helmet-tumor-093523598.html

[4] American Friends of Tel Aviv University. “Tel Aviv University study finds hyperbaric oxygen treatments reverse aging process”. EurekAlert! 19 November 2020. Available at https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/667837

[5] The Washington Post. “His voice silenced for years, a man can now communicate using only the electrical impulses from his brain”. 14 July 2021. Available at https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/paralyzed-man-can-communicate/2021/07/14/3a9ce638-e4b5-11eb-8aa5-5662858b696e_story.html

[6] Phys.org. “Scientists create embryos to save northern white rhino”. 30 July 2021. Available at https://phys.org/news/2021-07-scientists-embyros-northern-white-rhino.html

 

The Boredom Objection to Life Extension – Article by Arin Vahanian

The Boredom Objection to Life Extension – Article by Arin Vahanian

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Arin Vahanian

One of the most widely used yet most baseless objections to life extension is the idea that if people had longer lifespans, they would somehow be bored, or, that they would not be motivated, since the finite amount of time each person has is what is supposed to make them more motivated. Indeed, when this objection is uttered, images of people watching hours of television every day while drinking soda, eating junk food, and being unproductive, come to mind. However, as I will demonstrate below, boredom and motivation are not related to the length of life, but rather, are based on other factors.

The reality is that there are already plenty of people who claim to be bored, or who struggle with motivation. Therefore, shortening their lives or preventing them from living longer and healthier is not likely to make them less bored or improve their motivation. In fact, it is likely to do the opposite – to result in the person becoming demoralized, and, more than likely, very depressed, knowing that their life expectancy has been decreased, that there is no hope for rejuvenation, and that the end is closer still.

Being bored or unmotivated isn’t related to the length of one’s life; it is related to a person’s mindset, thoughts, beliefs, actions, life situation, and other factors that are not related to lifespan.

I can speak for myself and say that I would do plenty of things if I had a longer lifespan, including, but not limited to, starting new hobbies, enjoying the additional time with friends, family and loved ones, performing charity work, delivering even more value to others, and more. Wouldn’t you like to have a few extra years of a healthy life so that you could spend it with the people you love, doing things you enjoy?

Life being short isn’t a good thing, just like failure isn’t a good thing, and just like going bankrupt isn’t a good thing. The difference here, though, is that if you fail, you can probably try again, just like if your business goes under, you can probably try again at some point. In those scenarios too, one could make the argument that you might learn something from the failure or bankruptcy. However, if you die, you can’t try again, and there’s nothing to learn from it. It’s all over.

Just because some people believe that a longer lifespan would result in lethargic, lackadaisical behavior in certain people, doesn’t mean we have to damn all of humanity to a short, brutish lifespan full of disease and suffering, especially in the last few years or decades of life. Therefore, even if some people waste the time that they have, this does not mean the rest of us who do cherish the time we have should have less of it available to us.

Indeed, there are more hobbies, activities, educational tools, opportunities for personal development, and forms of entertainment available to us, than ever before. Therefore, if someone is truly bored, the boredom is more than likely not related to the length of their life, but rather, the quality of their life. It seems difficult to argue that an enthusiastic, passionate, and motivated person would all of a sudden become demotivated if they had more years of a healthy life ahead of them. On the other hand, it may very well be true that an unmotivated or depressed person would not be helped by having a longer life. However, this does not mean that the longer life is the reason for their boredom. There has been much research conducted on motivation, and the research seems to suggest that motivation is driven by intrinsic factors, such as purpose and the opportunity for self-improvement, and not necessarily by the length of life. Given these factors, it would be difficult to argue that adding a few years of healthy life would suddenly make someone demotivated.

Someone who feels bored or unmotivated with the valuable gift of life is calling out for help. We should help them come to a better understanding of what it means to be alive, what it means to be human, and, if possible, help them develop a purpose and goals in life so that they feel more motivated on a daily basis. Shortening the length of their life is unlikely to help them feel less bored, or more motivated. In my view, instead of attempting to prevent progress, opponents of life extension would be better served by spending their time helping others find meaning or purpose in life.

Furthermore, imagine not conducting valuable research into longevity just because of the objection that people would be bored with a longer life. While there is really no way to quantify just how damaging this objection could be to performing research into life extension, I imagine it has prevented some progress in treating aging-related diseases. Could you imagine the ensuing outrage if our teachers, business leaders, medical professionals, and parents came out publicly and said that we should stop treating or trying to cure illnesses? Similarly, we should be outraged by simplistic arguments against life extension, especially if they are not backed up by solid evidence. And, of course, we should certainly be glad that the men and women who have dedicated their lives to improving the human condition and curing devastating illnesses did not succumb to boredom or a lack of motivation.

Let’s be clear – death does not give life meaning any more than tearing down a house gives meaning to the house. Therefore, when we hear the objection that life extension would lead to boredom and demotivation, we should call it for what it is: an insult to the sanctity of life and something to be banished for eternity, just like the plague of aging and disease.

Arin Vahanian is the Vice-Chairman of the U.S. Transhumanist Party.

 

Transhumanist Art by Luis Arroyo

Transhumanist Art by Luis Arroyo

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Luis Arroyo

Editor’s Note: The U.S. Transhumanist Party features this set of three artworks by our member Luis Arroyo in order to highlight the creative variety and diversity in political views that exist among our membership base. Luis Arroyo’s work combines influences from art history, transhumanist philosophy, and political thought with an aspiration to achieve a transhuman future. 

~ Gennady Stolyarov II, Chairman, United States Transhumanist Party, July 26, 2021

Transhumanism – Digital Artwork by Luis Arroyo

Description by the Artist: “Some basic edits along with the term “transhumanism” in front of a black blocked like background; the  the sculpture of the statue is David Prime by Imagine Lion.“

 

FM-2030 – Digital Artwork by Luis Arroyo

Description by the Artist: “A photo of the Iranian-American FM-2030 as indicated by the texts with some basic edits over it. FM-2030 is most notable for his book Are You a Transhuman?“

Let’s Seize the Newest Means – Digital Artwork by Luis Arroyo

Description by the Artist:“This photo was made from a very leftist perspective hinting towards the possibilities if today’s technologies were used for the sustaining and prosperity of the human species instead of the maximization of profit, reasonably one can expect such policies that transhumanists could support to be passed given the general human notions to advance ourselves and society.“