Report on the 3rd Israeli Transhumanist Seminar

(A report from Ilia Stambler) On March 30, 2007, the 3d seminar on Immortalism/transhumanism took place in Bar Ilan University (the 4th general meeting of the Israeli transhumanist chapter).

Dr. Frida Fuchs Simonstein, bio-ethicist from Emek Izreel college, gave a fantastic presentation on Indefinite Life Prolongation: the scientific ways toward it – telomerase, embryonic and adult stem cells, calorie restriction etc.; and the ethical issues it raises – demography and overpopulation, progress and generations shift, the issue of memory and identity, ennui and the meaning of life, global and local justice. Her work will be soon published in Hebrew (in “Refuah” journal [Medicine]) and it appears in English in her book “Self Evolution. The Ethics of Redesigning Eden”. The presentation instigated a passionate discussion, covering this vast range of relevant topics.

Avi Rosen, a PhD candidate at the Department of Arts, Tel Aviv University, gave a comprehensive and colorful presentation on “The Virtual Cathedral” outlining topics indispensable to current Transhumanist thought, such as the relation or interface of the individual to his/her network, to the space and cyberspace, visualization and the role of artistic representation of the future. This presentation can be found at http://newmediafix.net/

The Israeli transhumanist-immortalist chapter is constantly growing. Presently, it includes over 50 members. About 20 people regularly attend the meetings. These include: Dr. Danny Belkin, a stem cell researcher and the foremost authority on bioscience in our group; Dr. Ana Belkin, a biophysicist; Tal Galili, an MA student of bioinformatics at Tel Aviv University; Heli Katsav, a PhD candidate and coordinator at the Department of Gender Studies at Bar Ilan University, whose thesis concerns Anti-Aging in Israel; Noam, an MA student of physics at Tel Aviv University and an active member of the Israeli Sci Fi association; Yoni Donner, a student at the Interdisciplinary program in Tel Aviv University; David Ish-Shalom, a veteran Transhumanist who is presently involved in a public grass-roots project promoting scientific research and education in Jerusalem; Daniel Stein, a business school graduate now entering the field of bio-engineering, a very active immortalist; Eli, a student of electrical engineering at Tel Aviv U; Olga Plutsker, a linguist and an artist; Ilana Rosen, a PhD candidate at Tel Aviv U; Barak, a high-tech developer and a graduate student at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, whose thesis concerns technological optimism; Lior Homen, a computer expert and fitness instructor; Gilad Cohen, a student at the Herzlia Interdisciplinary College; Oded Tshesly, a student at the interdisciplinary program in TAU; Adi Berman, a brilliant high-school student and a very active immortalist; Ilia Stambler, a technical writer at the Biophysical Schottenstein Center for the Research and the Technology of the Cellome, Bar Ilan University, and a PhD candidate at the Department of Science, Technology and Society, Bar llan U. Many thanks to all the wonderful people who have presented, attended or taken interest, and special thanks go to Prof. Noah Efron and Dr. Oren Harman of Science, Technology and Society Department, Bar-Ilan University, who encourage these studies.

Finally we have a live and vibrant community of like-minded active and searching individuals. Still our internet presence needs expanding:

There are now in existence:
The Immortality Institute Israel forum http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?s=&act=SF&f=181
And The World Transhumanist Association Israel blog
http://www.transhumanism.org/index.php/WTA/languages/C126/

In addition to the community blogs at blogli http://longerlife.blogli.co.il/ and Israblog: http://israblog.nana.co.il/blogread.asp?blog=225403 .

Much more materials need to be written (or translated) to create a sizable internet presence.

For more information, please visit the Israeli forum at ImmInst:
http://www.imminst.org/forum/index.php?s=&act=ST&f=181&t=10317&st=40

Many thanks again to all the participants, and a Happy and Peaceful Passover!

Ilia