Transvision 2010 ASIM Experts: Thermodynamics of advanced civilizations: living in a unsustainable universe, by Anders Sandberg, October 24, 2010

Anders Sandberg will speak at Transvision 2010 on October 24, 2010, in the session between 11:30am and 1:30pm CET (live-streamed in Teleplace, 2:30am-4:30am PST, 5:30-7:30am EST, 10:30am-12:30pm UK).

Thermodynamics of advanced civilizations: living in a unsustainable universe

Anders Sandberg - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anders_Sandberg

Abstract: Civilizations are thermodynamic objects, fundamentally bound by considerations of energy, entropy and information. While their purposes for manipulating the physical world could be almost anything, they are constrained by available resources and physical laws. This gives us some bounds on what can be achieved in the truly long-term given our current understanding of the universe.

This talk will look at what constraints we are facing, giving some estimates for how much information processing, beings and activity can take place in the far future. I will also discuss the ethical consequences of these considerations here and now: how they force us to consider existential risk more seriously, how our current limitation to a single planet is an important opportunity for coordination, and the ethical problems of initiating radical interstellar expansion.

Anders Sandberg is a long-time member of the ASIM community and was instrumental in organizing the meeting of experts convened at Oxford University in 2007 to create a first roadmap toward whole brain emulation. He is a researcher, science debater, futurist, transhumanist, and author. He holds a Ph.D. in computational neuroscience from Stockholm University, and is currently a James Martin Research Fellow at the Future of Humanity Institute at Oxford University. Sandberg’s research centres on societal and ethical issues surrounding human enhancement and new technology, as well as on assessing the capabilities and underlying science of future technologies.

To attend Transvision 2010 in Milan, Italy in real life (IRL), visit the registration and logistics pages: http://transvision2010.wordpress.com/registration/ and http://transvision2010.wordpress.com/logistics/

Seating for virtual attendance through Teleplace teleXLR8 is arranged by Giulio Prisco. If you do not yet have an account the contact Giulio Prisco at giulio@gmail.com to gain access.

Article announcing the talk: http://transvision2010.wordpress.com/2010/10/04/transvision-2010-presentation-by-anders-sandberg/