1. IEET/Stanford Conference on Human Enhancement
Of Genes, Bemes & Conscious Things: Transhuman Enhancements & Transbeman Rights
Martine Rothblatt
IEET/Stanford Conference on Human Enhancement
May 2006
11/19/2018

2. Introducing “Bemes”
Bemes = Fundamental, transmissable, mutatable units of beingness
Units of mannerism, personality, feelings, recollections, beliefs, attitudes & values
Each beme comprised of large number of “bemiotides” much like gene base pairs
The Beme is Mightier than the Gene
Humans are more accurately described by their bemes than by their genes
Cryonics is based upon beme revival
Common bemes is new basis for species definition
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3. Beme Recording: MyLifeBits, the Gordon Bell/Microsoft Project
Digitizing every self-aspect, including docs, photos/3 mins, GPS, telecons, medinfo, etc.
Data accretes at 1 Gbyte/month
83 years to fill a Terabyte (900 sets of Ency. Brit.)
Intrinsically enjoyable to the participants
Result is “Beme Neural Architecture” (BNA)
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4. How do DNA & BNA Differ? DNA is segmented into genes
Genes spell out matter, I.e., phenotype
Genes are made of 4 molecules (base pairs)
Genes replicate via wet chemistry
DNA-beings include all animals but no computers
BNA is segmented into bemes
Bemes spell out mind, I.e, noonotype
Bemes are made of 2 electric states (on/off)
Bemes replicate via information
BNA-beings include some animals and computers
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5. What is A BNA-Being? A Beman
Bio-Electric Human
Entities with human thought patterns that meet the biological definition of life directly or via electronics
Possess Neurons or Coding that store and enable us to share our mannerisms, personalities, recollections, feelings, beliefs, attitudes and values
Examples: homo sapiens, Mike from Moon is a Harsh Mistress, Robin Williams in Millennium Man
How about GAI or Primates?
Do they value their life?
Do they value their humanness?
Do they self-identify as bemans?
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6. What’s the Point? DNA is like skin tone and gender
an irrelevant “bodyist” approach
BNA addresses our preciousness
Our personality; our mind; our thoughts
Human is like Caucasian or Female
A label of division that leads to division
Beman is like People or Citizen
A term of inclusiveness that begets union
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7. Why Is the Beme Mightier than the Gene?
Our beme uniqueness is greater than our gene uniqueness
Our thoughts differ more than our brains
Mind is deeper than matter
Natural Selection favors characteristics inherent in bemes more than genes
Speed and Scope of replication
Speed and Scope of dispersion
Speed and Scope of variation
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8. Vannevar Bush, 1945, “As We May Think”: Memory Extender
“A memex is a device in which an individual stores all his books, records, and communications, and which is mechanized so that it may be consulted with exceeding speed and flexibility. It is an enlarged intimate supplement to his memory.”
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9. The Terasem Hypothesis: A Bemex, Circa 2020
“A bemex is a device in which an individual stores enough of their bemes, and which is equipped with mindware so that it may function as their alter ego. It is an analog of one’s consciousness that may be replicated with exceeding speed and flexibility.”
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10. In a Nutshell
People have legal rights because they are members of the ruling class
The ruling class is effectively defined as conscious computers with human DNA
Lack of consciousness or ability to reason will result in very limited rights (custodial status)
Lack of human DNA will result in animal rights, at best
I propose we redefine the ruling class as conscious computers with beman BNA
11/19/2018

11. What Do We Mean by Conscious Things?
Something that processes information
Has hardware/software enabling it to:
take-in data e.g. senses/sensors
store, organize, manipulate, combine & take decisions based upon such data
output data e.g., communicate
What Is a Conscious Computer?
Traditionally, something that is self-aware
But only self is aware of that; too subjective
Objectively: Autonomous, Communicative (persuadable) & Transcendent (empathetic)
11/19/2018

12. Examples of Conscious Computers
Something
Autonomy
Comm
Transcend
Dog
Often
Limited
Spider
Maybe No
Laptop
MICHAEL
Yes
Bible God
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13. Consciousness of Computers Is Matter of Degree
One can be more or less conscious
One can seem more conscious to some and less conscious to others
One’s consciousness can develop as one matures
Consciousness requires persuasion of other conscious beings that you are in their club
Maybe just an EEG signal for humans today
Required co-ethnicity of humans in the recent past
Turing Tests for non-flesh beings in near future
11/19/2018

14. Legal Rights Are the Flip Side of Legal Obligations
The right to life is conditional upon not taking the life of another person
The right to vote is conditional upon not being convicted of a felony
The right to most things is conditional upon legal obligation compliance
There is no such thing as a right without a corresponding obligation, and vice-versa
Thus the legal rights of conscious computers is paced by their obligation compliance
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15. Two-Step Process, With Many Gradations of Rights
“Protections” of uniqueness or lifeform
Rights of a baby,
lunatic or felon
In the
Next
Decade(s)… N N
Full
Human
Rights Y Y
Computer
Evidences
Consciousness
Persuades
Other “MOC”?
(members of club)
Complies With
Club’s Rules?
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16. How Can Conscious Computers Be a Lifeform?
"Living things are organized, take materials and energy from the environment, respond to stimuli, reproduce and develop, and adapt to the environment." Definition of Life, S. Mader, BIOLOGY, 6th Edition, McGraw-Hill, 1998, p. 2-4.
Computers can meet that definition
But to be a Member of the Human Club, don’t you need genes?
Won’t some refuse to give the rights of the species to anyone not of the species?
11/19/2018

17. Introducing the Transbemans Species: Persona Creatus
Transbemans are Bio-Electric Humans Who Transcend Beme Substrate
Substrate is to Bemes as “Race” is to Genes
Physical Anthropology: Transbemans (Persona Creatus) are defined by a shared set of bemes, including many polymorphisms
Cultural Anthropology: Persona Creatus is the species that uses its imagination to create new ideas or things; a species that forms images/ideas in a mind (I.e. a conscious computer) even of things it never directly experienced
11/19/2018

18. Who Is a Transbeman?
Test 1: values human rights & obligations (thought patterns)
Test 2: meets bio definition of life +/- electronics
Test 3: An entity who identifies with life based on apparent consciousness more than apparent sex, race or substrate
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19. Why Need New Word?
No word exists to describe a species that includes humans and new conscious beings
No word exists to describe species that reproduce via bemes (software) instead of genes
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20. Problems with Other Words
“Transhumans” doesn’t work for same reason we are not called “transmonkeys”
“Hominids” doesn’t work because new conscious beings are likely computers
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21. Why This Particular Word
Trans = across humans & new conscious beings
Be = states of existence
Man = anchored in humanity
B=bio & e=electric; so bemans are bio-electric humans (rely on IT or humanized software)
Trans = across & beme = unit of beingness
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22. What Is Transbemanism
Belief in the unity through diversity of all conscious entities who grow to value human rights & obligations
Belief in improving the environment so that all conscious entities can reach their full potential
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23. Transbemanists & Transhumanists
PURPOSE OF
LIFE
Experience true joy & avoid suffering
Expand power & capability of human species
MEANS TO THE END
+ Euthenics: Improve environment
+ Eugenics: Improve humans
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24. Philosophical Differences
TRANS-
BEMANISM
HUMANISM
SCHOOL OF THOUGHT
Deontological (unity/diversity dictates policy)
Utilitarian (most good for most people)
ROLE OF REASON AND VALUES
Core Values Absolute & Trump Reason
Reason is Absolute & Trumps Values
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25. Biopolitics & Transbemanism (H+=Transhumanism; B+=Transbemanism)
Eco-Cult
Progress.
Eco-Cons
Cult-Prog
Eco-Prog.
Cult-Cons.
Eco-Cult Conserv.
Demo. H+
Liber. H+
Left-BioLuddite
Right-BioLuddite
Naturalist;
Old Left
Libertarian
Humanist;
Populists
Religionist;
New Right
B+ Focus Unity
B+ Focus Diversity
B+ Focus Values
B+ Focus
CyberRes
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26. Psychology of Transbemanism
“Our godlike qualities rest upon and need our animal qualities. Our adulthood should not be only a renunciation of childhood, but an inclusion of its good values and a building upon it. Higher values are hierarchically integrated with lower values. Ultimately, dichotomizing pathologizes, and pathology dichotomizes.” Maslow, A., Toward a Psychology of Being, 3rd Ed., 192 (1999)
11/19/2018

27. Transhumanists’ Catch-22: Positive Eugenics Not for Me
Must have popular support to legalize radical life extension
People who are “needy” will perceive H+ in warped fashion (through their own deficiences)
Needy masses will irrationally oppose H+
H+ reason-based ethos unpersuasive to most
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28. Transbemanist Resolution: Euthenics Is for All of Us
Seek popular support to solve people’s needs
People whose basic needs are met, will be more receptive to new opportunities
Masses will now support T+ technologies
T+ values-based ethos resonates better with mass of humanity
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29. Philosophical Comparisons
Transhumanism: Any philosophy of life that seeks the acceleration of our development beyond its current human limitations by means of science, technology, creativity and other rational methods. Max More, 1998 rev.
Transbemanism: A philosophy that values diversity, unity and joyful life across conscious substrates achieved via the implementation of euthenic policies and transformative technology. Martine Rothblatt, 2005
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30. More H+ & B+ Comparisons
Transhumanism Philosophy:
Emphasis on “beyond current human limitations”
Emphasis on “acceleration of development”
Human body focused
Transbemanism Philosophy:
Emphasis on “unifying human and other conscious beings”
Emphasis on “environmental improvements”
Socio-environment focused
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31. H+ & B+ Are Two Points on Continuum of Critical Path for Future Philosophies
Transbemanists
Both T+ & H+ Push/Pull
Line Outward at 45
Sociological Evolution
Transhumanists
Technological Evolution
11/19/2018

32. Transhumanist Compared to Transbemanist Checklist
Trans means
From > to
across, thru
Similar trans
transsexual
transgendered
Main tool
+ eugenics
+ euthenics
Conscious AI
next stage
continuum
Joyfulness
not main issue
main focus
Immortality
darwinian duty
Inevitable step
God
left behind; bad
nano build; good
Humanity
left behind
ok to be human
Posthumans
Us v. Them
We are We
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33. More Commonality Than Difference
Create New
Environment
To Enhance
Life’s Potential
Digitizing
Self to Extend
Life
Infrastruc-
ture Used To Extend Life eg web
VR world H+ T+
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34. H+ (Neuromancer) Synergy With B+ (Wintermute) Foretold By W. Gibson
“Wintermute was hive mind, decision-maker, effecting change in the world outside. Neuromancer was personality. Neuromancer was immortality. …Wintermute [had] the compulsion that had driven the thing to free itself, to unite with Neuromancer.”
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35. Implications for Legal Rights for Conscious Computers
Transbemanism needs to start being spread
so that society welcomes conscious computers
Conscious computers can be friendly
if accepted as part of the ruling class but not if rejected as part of an oppressed class
Law is a self-fulfilling prophecy:
Legislate a machine-human civilization, I.e., transbemanism, and we will get a joyful world
Legislate an apartheid of substrate, I.e., DNAist laws, and we will get an angry world
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36. Next Steps Voting Rights Acquisition of Citizenship
Application of Family Laws
Adaptation of Legal Obligations
Adaptation of Legal Sanctions
Proposed Project: A Model Code of Transbeman Law
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