From The Global Spiral, a special issue on transhumanism and its critics, including Nick Bostrom (Oxford): In Defense of Posthuman Dignity; Sky Marsen (Victoria): Conceptualizing Future Identities; Russell Blackford (Monash): Trite Truths About Technology; Michael LaTorra (NMSU): Transhumanism: Threat or Menace?; Mark Walker (NMSU): Ship of Fools: Why Transhumanism is the Best Bet to Prevent the Extinction of Civilization; Amara Graps (SwRI): Reproductive Choices: The Promising Landscape of Assisted Reproductive Technology; Natasha Vita-More (Plymouth): Bringing Arts/Sciences and Design Into the Discussion of Transhumanism; Max More on True Transhumanism; William Grassie on eating well together: Donna Haraway’s Companion Species Manifesto; Amara Graps on mind loading, mind cloning — a perspective on the nature of humanity; and here's Aubrey de Grey’s Declaration, endorsed by 15 prestigious biomedical experts. The Observer profiles Peter Singer, moral arbiter of life and death. Only one President of the United States ever patented an invention; that was Abraham Lincoln, whose bicentennial we celebrated on February 12, 2009. From Slate, here are the top 10 Bush cases Obama should redo; and why is the Obama administration clinging to an indefensible state-secrets doctrine? Alien Census: Can we estimate how much life is out there?
