BEGIN:VCALENDAR PRODID:-//Grails iCalendar plugin//NONSGML Grails iCalendar plugin//EN VERSION:2.0 CALSCALE:GREGORIAN METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTAMP:20260610T025249Z DTSTART;TZID=Europe/London:20120701T100000 DTEND;TZID=Europe/London:20120701T100000 SUMMARY:Enhancement\, Emerging Technologies\, and Social Challenges UID:20260612T204837Z-iCalPlugin-Grails@philevents-web-bd7db559-gt5qm TZID:Europe/London LOCATION:Dubrovnik\, Croatia DESCRIPTION:

CFP Deadline: July 1st 2012

Major topics include: bioenhancement\, technology and ethics\, transhumanism\, posthumanism\, and social responsibilities.

The University of Zagreb\, The New York Institute of Technology\, University \;Erlangen-Nü\;rnberg and Dublin City University are pleased to announce \;the 4th Conference on Beyond Humanism: Trans- and Posthumanism. The 1st Conference took place in April 2009 at the University of Belgrade \;(Humanism and Posthumanism)\, the 2nd Conference in September 2010 at the \;University of the Aegeans (Audiovisual Posthumanism)\, and the \;3rd Conference in October 2011 at Dublin City University (Transforming \;Human \;Nature).

We \;invite papers and panel proposals.

The specific focus of the event &ldquo\;Enhancement\, Emerging Technologies\, and \;Social Challenges&rdquo\; are the social challenges which we have to face due to \;the rapid development of emerging technologies. In order to guarantee a \;systematic treatment of the topic we will particularly focus on the \;following five topics:

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  1. Enhancement as social challenge: As part of this topic\, we will be \;concerned with the social challenges related to moral enhancement\; genetic \;enhancement\; neuroenhancement\; cyborg enhancement.
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  2. Enhancing Evolution. As part of this topic both historical as well as \;systematic treatments are being dealt with. Hence\, we will be concerned \;both with the historical debate between Aldous and Julian Huxley which lead \;to the publication of the influential books "Brave New World" and "New \;Bottles for New Wine". The relationship between Nietzsche\, Transhumanism \;and the contemporary eugenics debates will also be covered as part of this \;course. However\, contemporary systematic topics like the social challenges \;related to the Movie "Gattaca" or the John Harris monograph "Enhancing \;Evolution" will not be neglected\, either.
    3. \n
  3. Bioarts\, Body Art and Performance Art. Questions such as the following \;will be tackled: Which social challenges are related to Kac's works of art? \;Does Orlan's Carnal Art raise significant questions concerning the \;challenges of plastic surgery? How does Nyman's opera "Facing Goya" address \;central questions concerning eugenics? Are his worries plausible?\; Does \;Jaime del Val's performance convince of the need to move beyond a duality \;of sexes towards a plurality of sexes?
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  4. Human Dignity. Several questions need to be considered in this context. \;Is it possible to accept the theory of evolution and to also affirm the \;special status of human beings as categorically separate from other natural \;beings? Which characteristics are necessary for distinguishing the \;dignity of humans\, metahumans\, transhumans and posthumans? Do posthumanists\, \;and transhumanists put forward plausible challenges concerning human \;dignity? Is the concept of the embodied mind compatible to that of human \;dignity? Will there be the need to introduce the concept of post-persons\, \;whereby post-persons have a higher moral status as persons?
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  5. Enhancement and Health Insurance Companies. In this context the \;following questions will be addressed: Are vaccination a type of \;enhancement? What is a disease and what ought to be referred to as merely a \;special trait?\; Is it possible to introduce regulations concerning health \;insurances such that the issue of global justice is being considered? Does \;a liberal state necessarily lead to structures which neglect social justice? \;The aim of this multidisciplinary conference is to bring together voices \;and perspectives from a variety of academic disciplines as well as fields \;of public practice and application concerning the development and \;transformation of our understanding of &lsquo\;the human&rsquo\; and the related social \;challenges. We invite papers from across the disciplines that will shed \;light on \;the state of affairs\, especially the consequences of enhancement and \;transhumanist and posthumanist accounts of &lsquo\;the human.&rsquo\;
    6. \n
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Papers will be selected and arranged according to related topics. Equal \;voice will be given\, if possible\, for presentations from the arts\, \;humanities\, sciences\, and technological fields.

Possible topics \;could include\, but are not limited to:

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Submissions \;and \;deadlines:

We invite abstracts of up to 500 words\, to be sent in Word format \;to Professor Curtis Carbonell
(ccarbo04@nyit.edu). \;Files should be \;named and submitted in the following manner:

Submission: First Name Last name. docx (or .doc)
Example: "Submission: Curtis Carbonell.docx&rdquo\;

Abstracts should be received by \;July 1st. Acceptance notifications will be \;sent out by July 21st\, 2012. All those accepted will receive information on \;the venue(s)\, local attractions\, accommodations\, restaurants\, and planned \;receptions and events for participants. \;

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Presentations should not be more than 30 minutes.

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Fees \;and \;registration: A reduced registration fee of &euro\;50 (65USD) will apply \;to all participants.

Location: The conference will take place at the Inter-University Center\, \;Dubrovnik\, Croatia: \;http://www.iuc.hr/

For further information:

Please see our conference website: \;www.transformingthehuman.org
and\, if you have any questions\, please do not hesitate to email one of the
organizers.

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