Lifeboat Foundation - Revision history

wikademia>Wikademia at 05:48, 18 May 2009

2009-05-18T05:48:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:48, 18 May 2009
Line 1:		Line 1:
	~~[[Image:Lifeboatfoundation.jpg\|thumb\|350px\|right\|The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the creation of space colonies to free humanity of dependence on the planet Earth.]]~~

	'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.		'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.
	{{?}}		{{?}}

wikademia>Wikademia at 05:48, 18 May 2009

2009-05-18T05:48:30Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 05:48, 18 May 2009
Line 2:		Line 2:

	'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.		'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.
			{{?}}
	==Mission==		==Mission==
	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

wikademia>Wikademia: 79 revisions

2009-04-11T04:58:13Z

79 revisions

← Older revision	Revision as of 04:58, 11 April 2009
(No difference)

128.118.28.38: /* Administration and Advisory Boards */

2009-02-20T19:00:23Z

Administration and Advisory Boards

← Older revision		Revision as of 19:00, 20 February 2009
Line 20:		Line 20:
	The Lifeboat Foundation is [[tax exemption\|tax exempt]] under [[501(c)(3)\|Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code]].		The Lifeboat Foundation is [[tax exemption\|tax exempt]] under [[501(c)(3)\|Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code]].

	The organization also has a very large Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), composed of 410 members as of October 2007. This includes philosophers, economists, biologists, nanotechnologists, AI researchers, educators, policy experts, engineers, lawyers, ethicists, futurists, neuroscientists, physicists, and space experts. The SAB includes [[Ray Kurzweil]] and [[Nobel Prize]] winners [[Clive Granger]] and [[Wole Soyinka]]. ~~Most~~ of these advisors are on the record as strongly favoring techno-centric or [[techno-optimist]] approaches to resolving human problems even if these have within living memory often resulted in [[technological escalation]] of conflict~~. Because~~ ultimately life on Earth ~~will~~ end with the next large asteroid impact. Kurzweil in particular is ~~very~~ often criticized for advocating "uploading" minds and for granting artificial intelligences legal status equivalent to those humans enjoy, while not adopting any balancing position such as that of [[Peter Barnes]] that ecosystems should he protected as a commons with legal trustees of their own. The SAB does not publicly debate nor announce its positions or assumptions and is recruited without input from Lifeboat's opponents, unlike that of most nonprofits with controversial mandates that seek skeptical outsider input.		The organization also has a very large Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), composed of 410 members as of October 2007. This includes philosophers, economists, biologists, nanotechnologists, AI researchers, educators, policy experts, engineers, lawyers, ethicists, futurists, neuroscientists, physicists, and space experts. The SAB includes [[Ray Kurzweil]] and [[Nobel Prize]] winners [[Clive Granger]] and [[Wole Soyinka]]. Many of these advisors are on the record as strongly favoring techno-centric or [[techno-optimist]] approaches to resolving human problems even if these have within living memory often resulted in [[technological escalation]] of conflict, because ultimately human life on Earth may end with the next large asteroid impact. Kurzweil in particular is often criticized for advocating "uploading" minds and for granting artificial intelligences legal status equivalent to those humans enjoy, while not adopting any balancing position such as that of [[Peter Barnes]] that ecosystems should he protected as a commons with legal trustees of their own. The SAB does not publicly debate nor announce its positions or assumptions and is recruited without input from Lifeboat's opponents, unlike that of most nonprofits with controversial mandates that seek skeptical outsider input.

	==Lifeboat Foundation programs==		==Lifeboat Foundation programs==

216.157.209.90: /* Mission */ vaccine

2008-12-29T20:16:44Z

Mission: vaccine

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:16, 29 December 2008
Line 6:		Line 6:
	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

	The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as [[RNA interference]] and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.		The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as [[RNA interference]] and new [[vaccine]] methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.

	The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative 'Maximize expected aggregate utility!' can be simplified to the maxim 'Minimize existential risk!'"<ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref> Astrophysicist [[Stephen Hawking]] has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."		The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative 'Maximize expected aggregate utility!' can be simplified to the maxim 'Minimize existential risk!'"<ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref> Astrophysicist [[Stephen Hawking]] has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."

216.157.209.90: /* Mission */ RNA interference

2008-12-29T20:14:21Z

Mission: RNA interference

← Older revision		Revision as of 20:14, 29 December 2008
Line 6:		Line 6:
	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

	The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.		The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as [[RNA interference]] and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.

	The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative 'Maximize expected aggregate utility!' can be simplified to the maxim 'Minimize existential risk!'"<ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref> Astrophysicist [[Stephen Hawking]] has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."		The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative 'Maximize expected aggregate utility!' can be simplified to the maxim 'Minimize existential risk!'"<ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref> Astrophysicist [[Stephen Hawking]] has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."

wikademia>Gloriamarie: fixed quotes on Bostrom quotation, moved intro to new Mission section

2008-10-12T03:56:26Z

fixed quotes on Bostrom quotation, moved intro to new Mission section

← Older revision		Revision as of 03:56, 12 October 2008
Line 2:		Line 2:

	'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.		'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.

			==Mission==
	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

	The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.		The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.

	The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative ~~“Maximize~~ expected aggregate utility!” can be simplified to the maxim ~~“Minimize~~ existential risk!”. <ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref>. Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."		The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative 'Maximize expected aggregate utility!' can be simplified to the maxim 'Minimize existential risk!'"<ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref> Astrophysicist [[Stephen Hawking]] has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."

	==Administration and Advisory Boards==		==Administration and Advisory Boards==

	Current officers include:		Current officers include:
	*President and Founder [[Eric Klien]]		*President and Founder [[Eric Klien]]
Line 49:		Line 49:

	==References==		==References==
	~~<references/>~~		{{reflist}}

	==External links==		==External links==

130.126.230.64 at 16:51, 2 October 2008

2008-10-02T16:51:38Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:51, 2 October 2008
Line 5:		Line 5:
	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

	The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the ~~necessarily~~ technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.		The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessary technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.

	The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative “Maximize expected aggregate utility!” can be simplified to the maxim “Minimize existential risk!”. <ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref>. Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."		The Lifeboat Foundation was formed with the ethical premise that decreasing the likelihood of human extinction is the activity with the most positive [[utility]] on the planet today. In recent years, several prominent public figures have stepped forward strongly in favor of mitigating extinction risks. Oxford philosopher [[Nick Bostrom]] writes, “For standard utilitarians, priority number one, two, three and four should consequently be to reduce [[existential risk]]. The utilitarian imperative “Maximize expected aggregate utility!” can be simplified to the maxim “Minimize existential risk!”. <ref>Nick Bostrom, "[http://www.nickbostrom.com/astronomical/waste.html Astronomical Waste: The Opportunity Cost of Delayed Technological Development]", Preprint, ''Utilitas'' Vol. '''15''', No. 3, pp. 308-314</ref>. Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has publicly stated that "The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth" Physicist Sir Martin Rees warns "Science is advancing faster than ever, and on a broader front... But there is a dark side: new science can have unintended consequences; it empowers individuals to perpetrate acts of mega terror; even innocent errors could be catastrophic." He concludes "Even a few pioneering groups, living independently of Earth, would offer a safeguard against the worst possible disaster—the foreclosure of intelligent life's future through the extinction of all humankind."

130.126.230.64 at 16:49, 2 October 2008

2008-10-02T16:49:34Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 16:49, 2 October 2008
Line 3:		Line 3:
	'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.		'''The Lifeboat Foundation''' is a non-profit organization with an explicit mandate of "helping humanity survive [[existential risk]]s" and anticipate possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including [[genetic engineering]], [[nanotechnology]], and [[AI\|robotics/AI]], especially in the event of a [[technological singularity]]. The Lifeboat Foundation advocates scientific and technological advancements which will help humanity, and life in general, survive both natural and artificial [[existential risk]]s by identifying and implementing strategies to mitigate the overall threat that these increasingly powerful technologies pose and the threat that cataclysmic natural events pose.

	The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The ~~foundations~~ primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.		The Lifeboat Foundation advocates the development of genetic engineering, nanotechnology and AI and other technologies to defend humanity, including defending it from consequences of its own damage or manipulation of the natural environment. The foundation's primary goal is the continuation of intelligent human life and seeks to identify and mitigate the existential threats posed to that life and those specific symbiotic life forms (such as gut bacteria or edible plants) that human beings would need to survive in space. The first ARKs will likely be centered around this goal but will contain genetic repositories of other life forms from Earth which advances in biotechnology and nanotechnology will be able to revive. The Lifeboat Foundation finds all life valuable and as long as its primary goal is fulfilled advocates would create lifeboats of entire ecosystem. The more diverse and redundant populations of life are, both human and non-human, the less threat any particular existential risk poses.

	The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessarily technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.		The Lifeboat Foundation claims to be pursuing new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies. However self-sustaining mobile biosphere [[space colonies]] "in case the other defensive strategies fail" are one of its ultimate long term goals. When a risk to the Earth's biosphere might be increased by a particular strategy necessary to establish a space colony, because these risks are not existential to either humanity or all life on Earth, the Lifeboat Foundation suggests pursuing the necessarily technologies because ultimately all life on Earth will end when the next natural existential threat (asteroid impact, nearby supernovae, etc) manifests.

99.147.188.217: downloading-->uploading

2008-09-29T01:46:36Z

downloading-->uploading

← Older revision		Revision as of 01:46, 29 September 2008
Line 20:		Line 20:
	The Lifeboat Foundation is [[tax exemption\|tax exempt]] under [[501(c)(3)\|Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code]].		The Lifeboat Foundation is [[tax exemption\|tax exempt]] under [[501(c)(3)\|Section 501(c)(3) of the United States Internal Revenue Code]].

	The organization also has a very large Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), composed of 410 members as of October 2007. This includes philosophers, economists, biologists, nanotechnologists, AI researchers, educators, policy experts, engineers, lawyers, ethicists, futurists, neuroscientists, physicists, and space experts. The SAB includes [[Ray Kurzweil]] and [[Nobel Prize]] winners [[Clive Granger]] and [[Wole Soyinka]]. Most of these advisors are on the record as strongly favoring techno-centric or [[techno-optimist]] approaches to resolving human problems even if these have within living memory often resulted in [[technological escalation]] of conflict. Because ultimately life on Earth will end with the next large asteroid impact. Kurzweil in particular is very often criticized for advocating "~~downloading~~" minds and for granting artificial intelligences legal status equivalent to those humans enjoy, while not adopting any balancing position such as that of [[Peter Barnes]] that ecosystems should he protected as a commons with legal trustees of their own. The SAB does not publicly debate nor announce its positions or assumptions and is recruited without input from Lifeboat's opponents, unlike that of most nonprofits with controversial mandates that seek skeptical outsider input.		The organization also has a very large Scientific Advisory Board (SAB), composed of 410 members as of October 2007. This includes philosophers, economists, biologists, nanotechnologists, AI researchers, educators, policy experts, engineers, lawyers, ethicists, futurists, neuroscientists, physicists, and space experts. The SAB includes [[Ray Kurzweil]] and [[Nobel Prize]] winners [[Clive Granger]] and [[Wole Soyinka]]. Most of these advisors are on the record as strongly favoring techno-centric or [[techno-optimist]] approaches to resolving human problems even if these have within living memory often resulted in [[technological escalation]] of conflict. Because ultimately life on Earth will end with the next large asteroid impact. Kurzweil in particular is very often criticized for advocating "uploading" minds and for granting artificial intelligences legal status equivalent to those humans enjoy, while not adopting any balancing position such as that of [[Peter Barnes]] that ecosystems should he protected as a commons with legal trustees of their own. The SAB does not publicly debate nor announce its positions or assumptions and is recruited without input from Lifeboat's opponents, unlike that of most nonprofits with controversial mandates that seek skeptical outsider input.

	==Lifeboat Foundation programs==		==Lifeboat Foundation programs==