Terasem Conference On Law Of Transhuman Persons

This past weekend, the Terasem Movement, a not-for-profit charity endowed for the purpose of educating the public on the practicality and necessity of greatly extending human life, hosted a colloquium on the law regarding transhuman persons. The conference took place at Indialantic, Florida

The stated purposes of the meeting were to

  1. provide the public with informed perspectives regarding the legal rights and obligations of "transhuman persons" via audio/video webcast (including transcripts) of expert presentations, challenges and discussions.
  2. begin development of a body of law covering the rights and obligations of conscious computers, cryogenically-revived persons and other entities that transcend, and yet encompass, conventional conceptions of humanness.
Presentations on a variety of science-fictional topics were made:
  • Forms of Transhuman Persons and The Importance of Prior Resolution of Relevant Law: A Comparison with the Law of Outer Space
    Martine Rothblatt, Terasem Movement, Inc., Melbourne Beach, FL
  • Parenthood In the Transhuman Age: An Intellectual Property Model
    Sebastian Sethe, Sheffield Institute of Biotechnological Law and Ethics, University of Sheffield, UK
  • Functions of a Trust Protector During Biostasis and at the Time of Cryogenic Revival
    John Dedon, Esq., Partner, Odin, Feldman & Pittleman, PC, Fairfax, VA
  • -Possible Legal Rights of Cryogenically Revived Persons
    Christopher Sega, Esq., Venable LLP, Washington, DC
  • Creating a New Intelligent Species: Choices and Responsibilities for AI Designers
    Eliezer Yudkowsky, Research Fellow, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
This conference works on the issues raised in many science fiction works. The issue of whether or not a cryonically frozen person can inherit (and what they will end up with if they do) is covered in a variety of science fiction works. In his 1976 novel A World Out Of Time, Larry Niven popularizes the term corpsicle and describes the fate of a cryonically frozen person centuries later. Another of my favorites, Roger Zelazny's 1976 novel Doorways in the Sand, the main character's frozen uncle makes an unexpected reappearance.

The legal status of persons who are stored by other means is explored in novels like Richard Morgan's 2003 book Altered Carbon; everything that makes you a "person" can be stored and then loaded into a new body - or an artificial sleeve.

Read more at the First Annual Colloquium on the Law of Transhuman Persons.

Scroll down for more stories in the same category. (Story submitted 12/12/2005)

Follow this kind of news @Technovelgy.

| Email | RSS | Blog It | Stumble | del.icio.us | Digg | Reddit |

Would you like to contribute a story tip? It's easy:
Get the URL of the story, and the related sf author, and add it here.

Comment/Join discussion ( 2 )

Related News Stories - (" Culture ")

Facebook Online Memorial Service
Anthropologists often point to ceremonies surrounding the treatment of the dead as evidence of civilization. What does this current news story say about us?

Silicon Sunshine - Data Transparency In Government
Should the government be forced to put every last bit of information it has online, every minute of every day? Lawrence Lessig has comments, and so does John Brunner.

First Bank Of Antimatter Issues Anti-Money
Interested in trading currency? Have you thought about antimatter depository notes?

Eigenharp Favored By Mos Eisley Musicians
Too good to be kept in a galaxy far, far away, the Eigenharp lets you perform complex synthesized music onstage without cumbersome keyboards.

 

Google
  Web TechNovelgy.com   

Technovelgy (that's tech-novel-gee!) is devoted to the creative science inventions and ideas of sf authors. Look for the Invention Category that interests you, the Glossary, the Invention Timeline, or see what's New.

 

 

 

 

 

Current News

AirRobot Micro-UAV 'Fairies' In Shakespeare Play
At least they were not the 'rude mechanicals'.

Paralysis Ray Uses Photocontrolled Molecular Switch
Gerry was dubious. She had seen abortive attempts at paralysis rays before.

Brine Wells May Swallow Towns
Dissolve 1 teaspoon of the Quadraturin essence in 1 cup of water.

Will In-Vitro Meat Change Our Lives?
ChickieNobs, anyone?

Walky iPhone Finger Gesture Robot Controller
Let your fingers - uh - your robot do the walking. And hopping.

OnStar Stolen Vehicle Slowdown Foils Carjacker
Better than a car chase.

Robot Martial Arts Videos
Robo-Shiko!

Interactive TV Patent From Sony
Can you dance faster than the White Clown?

Smart Contact Lens With Power Harvesting Circuits
Smart contacts with VR connections.

'Significant Amount' Of Lunar Water Found
Droogs! There's water ice on the moon!

FOXP2 Tweak Yields Planet Of The Apes?
Get your filthy words off me, you damn dirty ape!

Lev, Theremin-Playing Robot
Patsy Cline classic played by robot.

XT-1 Micro Mouse With Blazing Speed
These are fully autonomouse robots.

Escape Pods, Refuge Of ISS Astronauts From Space Junk
Who first thought about escape pods?

Steerable Bowling Ball Is A Cheesy Spherical Robot
Once the province of geeks, now in bowling alleys.

Bio-Mechanics And Micro-Robotic Flight
Micro air vehicles and insect flight.

More SF in the News Stories

More Beyond Technovelgy science news stories

Home | Glossary | Invention Timeline | Category | New | Contact Us | FAQ | Advertise |
Technovelgy.com - where science meets fiction™

Copyright© Technovelgy LLC; all rights reserved.