Personal Transhumanist Group Meeting 1

11/25/00

Agenda

  1. Mission & Goals
  2. Areas of Investigation
  3. First Projects
  4. Times, Places of Meeting

Mission & Goals

To rationally evaluate, generate, and pursue effective means of augmenting minds, bodies, lifespans, and quality of life.

Goals:

  1. Smarter
  2. Healthier
  3. More capable
  4. More knowledgeable
  5. Calmer
  6. Happier
  7. Longer lived
  8. Sustainable changes
  9. More self-directed

Taxonomy of types of evidence.

  1. Published, peer-reviewed, statitistically valid.
  2. Reasonable extrapolations from #1.
  3. Broad, consistent anecdotal.
  4. Personal subjective evaluation.

Areas of Investigation

  1. Applied Psychopharmacology
    1. Nootropics
    2. Impact of recreational drug use
  2. Meditation, Neurofeedback, Yoga & similar techniques, Mind Machines
  3. Longevity
  4. Meta-programming: NLP, self-hypnosis, lucid dreaming, will power, psychedelics, etc..
  5. Mental Tools: Mnemonics, speed-reading, accelerated learning
  6. Information Tools: information overload, research, organizational tools
  7. Technology: Utility to us, mechanism for keeping abreast, how we incorporate in our lives.
    1. Wearable computing
    2. Current body-mod technology
  8. Future trends in technology & society
  9. Money, investing.
    1. Financial planning
    2. Financial tools
    3. Financial habits & discipline
    4. Career maximization
  10. Exercise
    1. Flexibility
    2. Strength
    3. Mind / Body Coordination
    4. Physical learning
    5. Aerobic conditioning
    6. Project: Get fitness tests, set individual goals
  11. Diet & Nutrition
    1. Detox programs
    2. Food allergies
    3. Macro-nutrients
    4. Micro-nutrients
  12. Effective communication techniques
    1. Conflict resolution
    2. Expectation management
    3. Trust
    4. Honesty & Deception
    5. Motivational communication
    6. Appropriate tools & techniques per situation
    7. Persuasion
    8. Presentation of ideas
    9. Emotional interpersonal interactions
  13. Allergies
  14. Reading lists
    1. Book reports
    2. Biographies
    3. Books on specific techniques

Separate group: Investing

Note: We have different starting points. How does this affect what we do as a group?

First Projects

Establishing our baselines:

  1. Establish baselines: Full blood workups, physicals
    1. List techniques you've tried, how they've worked for you.
    2. Psychological, memory, and IQ tests - Dave, Dana
  2. Set our personal goals
    1. Which areas above you want to work on.
    2. State your current baseline in each
    3. Where you want to be in each
    4. Specific milestones / accomplishments in each
  3. Where do we see ourselves:
    1. Next Year
    2. In 5 years
    3. In 20 years
    4. If you want to add: general direction, 3 months, 6 months, 50 years, 500 years, go for it.
  4. Summarize known info on smart drugs. - Mez
    1. Effects on short term & long term memory
    2. Neuroprotectant effects
    3. Effects on young vs. old organisms
  5. Evaluate research on prenatal augmentation techniques. - Todd, Dana
    1. Nutrition & supplementation
    2. Exercise
    3. Music
    4. Substances to avoid
    5. Other environmental effects
    6. Available tests - genetic screening
  6. Compiling information resources & tools - Ryan, Stefan

Future Projects

  1. Accelerated learning research - Jane
  2. Speed reading research - Lily, (Dave?)
  3. Typing speed research - Dana, Lily
  4. Mind Machine research - Nancy
  5. Neurofeedback research - Heath, Mez

Future Meeting Times & Places

Every 2nd week, alternating between Saturdays and Sundays. 1PM. 2 Hours.

Next meeting: 7th Maze.

Process

  1. Sharing online journal subscriptions
  2. Full text of journal entries from libraries
  3. www.medportal.com
  4. searchlight
  5. gratefulmed
  6. psychlit
  7. UW Library online access

List Use

  1. Cut short the me-too's. (Or send them to the person)
  2. Keep it on topic
  3. Cross-post interesting topics to flock

Format of Future Meetings

  1. Presentation of research results
  2. Discussion
  3. Next steps
  4. Possibly meetings focused on a single issue.
  5. Nomination of future topics & research projects