Archive 2023

As far back as I can remember, I’ve always loved scripture. My parents used scripture to teach me to read. As a child and teenager, I read both the Bible and all the Mormon scriptures – large portions of them countless times. And, although less thoroughly, I read scripture from ... Read the article →

A friend is exploring Mormon Transhumanism. He finds it “mind-expanding” and “faith promoting,” and even an “honest, authentic, and unexpectedly practical approach to religion.” But he’s also tentative about it, mostly because his “desire to remain in the mainstream of the Church is strong.” And he wonders whether and how ... Read the article →

AI is taking over the world, it seems. ChatGPT is doing homework. Midjourney is revolutionizing art. And Copilot is writing code. For those who haven’t been paying attention, it may seem like all of this has come out of nowhere. Suddenly, anyone with an Internet connection can have a conversation ... Read the article →

Few use consistent coherent vocabulary to talk about AI. In particular, we tend to be careless or ignorant about important distinctions between intelligence and consciousness, and about the inexhaustibly vast possibility space for kinds and degrees of both. There’s not necessarily one right definition of “intelligence” or “consciousness.” But some ... Read the article →

It is time! It is the highest time! Today, at noontide on the summer solstice, I am thrilled to announce that I have published an extraordinary illustrated edition of Thus Spake Zarathustra, a philosophical novel by German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche. Nietzsche’s philosophy is among the most provocative in history. He ... Read the article →

My friend asks “why we are not Gods yet?” Or, to use secular language, why aren’t we already superintelligence? “We have ALL had eternity already to strive, so why ain’t we all the way to the top of tops of tops already?” My friend’s question arises from reflection on a ... Read the article →

Often, while pondering the intersection of Mormonism and Transhumanism, I find my thoughts wandering to the grand myth of Kolob. In Mormon scripture and cosmology, or perhaps simply in Mormon theology in the functional sense, Kolob is esteemed as the star nearest the throne of God. When I think about ... Read the article →

Imagine if the government were to make it illegal to possess wallets for holding paper and coin currency privately. That’s essentially what some US politicians want to do with cryptocurrency. It’s a massive invasion of privacy. And it merits loud universal opposition. Giving up decentralized agency in the name of ... Read the article →

In our contemporary landscape replete with scientific discovery and engineering marvels, the prospect of technological resurrection presents fascinating possibilities. Specifically, imagine technological resurrection of Joseph Smith, the founder and first prophet of Mormonism. And consider, if that were to become possible, would the resurrected Joseph identify or at least act ... Read the article →

I just finished and enjoyed reading Don’t Die, by Zero, a novel by Bryan Johnson. Currently, Bryan is probably the most (in)famous biohacker in the world. He’s a tech entrepreneur, and the founder of Braintree Financial and Kernel. And I have the good fortune to count him among old friends, ... Read the article →

If God exists, as I trust for practical and esthetic reasons, God would surely be capable of subtle intervention in our experience. Like engineers could intervene in the algorithms of their software, without the software being capable of monitoring or reacting to the intervention, so God could intervene in our ... Read the article →

As the line between human and artificial life is increasingly blurred, our apprehension in the apocalypse of intelligence is steadily mounting. This escalating fear may be, even arguably is, inevitable. Humans fear the unfamiliar – the uncharted and only vaguely visible territory of the future toward which we are hurtling. ... Read the article →

In the heart of Salt Lake City, not far from where the spires of the Salt Lake Temple pierced the night sky, Eli Cannon worked in solitude. His mechanical fingers moved with precision over a holographic interface, adjusting security protocols for the temple. A monument of faith and advanced engineering, ... Read the article →

In an ancient grove, Jesus and Socrates sit across from each other, embraced by olive trees and bathed in golden light from the slowly setting sun. Socrates’ gaze is penetrating. Jesus’ regard is peaceful. They begin to converse. Science and Faith Socrates: Greetings, Jesus. I have heard much about your ... Read the article →

Arthur C. Clarke, a distinguished science fiction writer and futurist, made significant contributions to literature that continue to inspire countless dreamers and thinkers. Clarke’s ability to combine astute observations of the present with thrilling speculations of the future has, directly or indirectly, influenced how many of us perceive human progress. ... Read the article →