The World Transformed

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The Technological Singularity Aug 19, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 9 What is the Singularity? Is it the biggest transformation of all or wishful thinking on the part of nerds looking to have their very own "geek rapture?" Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome futurist and entrepreneur Ray Kurzweil to discuss how accelerating technological change will soon alter our world beyond recognition...and why that's a good thing! Ray Kurzweil has been described as “the restless genius” by the Wall Street Journal, and “the ultimate thinking machine” by Forbes magazine. Inc. magazine ranked him #8 among entrepreneurs in the United States, calling him the “rightful heir to Thomas Edison.” He is a man who wears many hats -- businessman, inventor, artist, visionary, and bestselling author. With his book The Singularity Is Near he has probably done more than anyone else to alert the the public as to the amazing period of transformation in which we now live.

The End of Scarcity and the Era of Abundance Aug 12, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 8 What would life be like in a world without poverty? How about a world in which everyone is, essentially, rich? The answer may be just around the corner. Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome a panel of futurists to discuss how the end of scarcity will revolutionize society, the economy, and life as we know it. About Our Guests Paul Fernhout writes essays about future-oriented themes (including Post-Scarcity Princeton and The Lion and the Butterfly), does free and open source software development, and shares homeschooling duties with his wife, Cynthia Kurtz. Joseph Jackson is a philosopher and social entrepreneur. A graduate of Harvard College AB (Government 2004) and the London School of Economics Msc (Philosophy of Science 2005), he leads the Network for Open Scientific Innovation, a 501(c)3 organization seeking to promote the emergence of Open Source models in the life sciences. Sally Morem writes essays on science, science fiction, political philosophy, and the future of technology, including The Problems with Linear Projections of the Future,Yes, the World is Round, Nanotechnology Explained, and The Magic Universe of George Lucas.

Virtual Worlds and the Future of Personality Aug 05, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 7 Are we living in the Matrix? Can we be sure? And even if we're not, are there reasons why we might want to live there? Phil and Stephen welcome a distinguished panel to discuss our future in virtual worlds, our future virtual selves, and Nick Bostrom's Simulation Hypothesis, which argues that we are already probably living in a computer simulation. About Our Guests Dr. Bruce Katz is a leading thinker and researcher in the field of artificial intelligence. He is the Chief AI Scientist at ColdLight Solutions and the author of Neuroengineering the Future: Virtual Minds and the Creation of Immortality. Michael Anissimov is a science/technology writer and consultant. He is the creative force behind one of the leading futurist blogs, Accelerating Future. He is a co-founder of the Immortality Institute, the Media Director for the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Fundraising Director for North America for the Lifeboat Foundation. Greg Campbell is an Intel alumnus and veteran of several Internet startups. He is an information technology consultant, virtual worlds researcher, and contributing editor to h+ Magazine, where he writes under the name Surfdaddy Orca. recent articles related to the show's topic include Brain on a Chip and Games that Design Themselves.

Risks, Dystopia, and Unsettling Futures Jul 29, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 6 Not all transformations are necessarily good. What risks do we face in a coming age of massive change? Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome journalist and futurist Sonia Arrison, and the Lifeboat Foundation's Philippe Van Nedervelde to talk about the risks that accompany massive technological change. We face risks to our privacy, our safety, and our very survival. How do we take advantages of the wonderful opportunities new technologies present in the face of such risks? About our guests: Sonia Arrison is an author and policy analyst who has studied the impact of new technologieson society for more than a decade. She is a Senior Fellow at the California-based Pacific Research Institute, and she is on the Board of Directors of Humanity +. Philippe Van Nedervelde is the Executive Director of the Foresight Institute in Europe. He is also the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of E-spaces, and he is the Director of the Informational Transparency Division of the Lifeboat Foundation, where he also serves on the Board of Directors.

Achieving Friendly Artificial Intelligence Jul 22, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 5 Are the robots going to take over? The Matrix and Terminator movies present a nightmare world in which artificially intelligent machines pit themselves against humanity with devastating consequences. Could something like that really happen? Phil Bowermaster and Stephen Gordon welcome a panel of leading thinkers on artificial intelligence to explore these issues: In the near future, is machine intelligence going to equal or overtake human intelligence in terms of speed and capability? If so, what can we do to make sure these new intelligences are on our side? Eliezer Yudkowsky is the world's foremost researcher on Friendly AI and recursive self-improvement. He is a research fellow with the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence. James Hughes is the Executive Director of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies, and he is the producer and host of the weekly syndicated public affairs talk show Changesurfer Radio Ben Goertzel is the chief science officer and acting CEO of Novamente. He is the Director of Research for the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence.

Reworking the Human Architecture Jul 15, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 4 Humanity...Enhanced! Human evolution is well on its way to becoming a do-it-yourself project. Our panel of futurists discuss how and why people are going to be making major enhancements to themselves, and soon. We're all familiar with enhancements intended to make us stronger or to look younger or more beautiful, but those hardly scratch the surface. Are you ready for technologies that can make us truly younger, stronger, smarter? How about rebuilding the human machinery from the ground-up? Need longer legs? An extra hand? Eyes literally in the back of your head? Who wants feathers? Wings? Gills? Or maybe you're tired of having your computer do all the thinking for you. Are you ready to become the computer yourself? From the highly desirable to the downright disturbing, we explore arguments for and against, benefits and risks, and the inevitability of re-working the human architecture. About Our Guests RU Sirius is the man who shows us where cyberculture and counterculture meet. He is a writer, talk show host, musician, and the editor of H+ magazine. PJ Manney is a writer and futurist and a leading voice in the H+ movement. She has written extensively on H+ topics, having previously been involved in motion picture development and writing for television. Brian Wang is a futurist who blogs about all things future-related at NextBigFuture. He is the Director of Research for the Lifeboat Foundation and a member of the Center for Responsible Nanotechnology Task Force.

The Nanotechnology Revolution Jul 08, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 3 Nanotechnology promises to change our world in ways that are difficult to predict, or even imagine. Are you ready for... ...Star Trek style replicators that would allow you to make anything, ANYTHING, you wanted? ...artificial robotic blood cells that will turn an Average Joe into a world-class athlete, or allow you to hold your breath under water for an hour at a time? ...programmable "smart" matter than can take whatever form you want? It's a suitcase. No, a bicycle! No, a TV! No, a puppy! Nanotechnology promises all of this plus a lot more. We're joined by a distinguished panel of guests who will help us understand the benefits, and risks, of this technology that will be with us sooner than most of us expect. J. Storrs Hall is a scientist, visionary, entrepreneur, and the president of the Foresight Institute. Mike Treder is the Executive Director of Center for Responsible Nanotechnology, and one of the most popular and well-received professional speakers on nanotechnology. Christine Peterson writes, lectures, and briefs the media on coming powerful technologies, especially nanotechnology. She is the co- founder and Vice President of Foresight Institute.

FastForward Radio: The Era of Indefinite Lifespan Jul 01, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 2 "How long have I got, Doc?" "Oh, about 1000 years..." Visionary aging researchers and best-selling authors Aubrey de Grey (Ending Aging) and Terry Grossman (The Baby-Boomer's Guide to Living Forever, Transcend: Nine Steps to Living Well Forever) explain how indefinite healthy extension of human lifespan is not only possible, but may well soon be within our grasp. Aubrey de Grey Ph.D. is a biogerontologist, creator of the Methuselah Mouse prize, and Chief Science Officer of the SENS Foundation. Terry Grossman, MD is a leading expert on anti-aging and life extension therapies, and the founder and medical director of Frontier Medical Institute in Denver, Colorado.

Imagination, Creativity, and a World Transformed Jun 24, 2009

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The World Transformed, Part 1 Futurists Natasha Vita-More and Reichart Von Wolfsheild, along with a special surprise guest, discuss the need for a new kind of thinking in the face of accelerating change. Together they will explore the role that education, imagination, and creativity have to play in coming to grips with a world in a state of transformation.

Countdown to A World Transformed Jun 15, 2009

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A sneak preview of our upcoming breakthrough series, The World Transformed.

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