Transvision Utrecht 2024 – Conference on transhumanism

Welcome

We would like to cordially invite you to join us January 20th and 21st in Utrecht, The Netherlands, for the “Transvision” conference on transhumanism. The Transvision conferences have been held since 1998, with the first edition taking place in Weesp, very close to Utrecht. Co-organized by the French Association for Transhumanism and London Futurists, the conference is the main international forum for discussion and exchange of ideas related to transhumanism, covering technological as well as philosophical, ethical and societal aspects.

Matching the broad, interdisciplinary nature of the subject, we aim to bring together a diverse group of people to critically discuss these possibilities, especially in the current Zeitgeist of the anthropocene and unparalleled change to our planet and society, brought on by technology. We want to bring together local and global actors, scientists, futurists, people from industry and artists, to create a broad platform for discussions and exchange.

To have a look at past editions of the conference, including videos of the talks, please visit our page on H+Pedia.

Location

The conference will take place in the city of Utrecht, The Netherlands, half an hour by train from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport. Utrecht is located centrally in the country and has a vibrant cultural life, town atmosphere and closeness to nature.

Our meeting venue is “In de Ruimte”, a large and light space at the canal Oudegracht. This former monastery vault has high ceilings with monumental arches and is a historic experience with all the technology and comfort of today.

Please note that this venue unfortunately has limited access options for people with reduced mobility (there is a staircase).

In de Ruimte
Oudegracht aan de Werf 230
3511 NT Utrecht, The Netherlands

Programme

Friday 19th

14:00

→

17:30

Workshop on longevity

In this satellite workshop, we will discuss steps to implement Open Longevity GPT: When? Why (also to diminish existential risks)? How much (will it cost and will it spare?) How to include more data (articles, clinical trial, health data)? How to share faster and better? How can you help?

Open to all Transvision (1 and 2-day) ticket holders

19:00

→

Social and drinks

Open to all Transvision (1 and 2-day) ticket holders

Saturday 20th

08:30	→	09:00	Arrival and registration
09:00	→	09:30	Opening remarks by the chair
9:30	→	10:30	Envisioning and creating transhumanist futures Setting the stage for the rest of the conference, we review the history of transhumanism, the past 25 years of Transvision, and look ahead to what a transhumanist future might look like for the individual, for society, and for the environment.
10:30	→	11:00	Drinks and networking
11:00	→	12:00	Envisioning and creating transhumanist futures (continued)
12:00	→	12:30	Lightning talks All participants will have a chance to present a topic of their choosing in a 3-minute presentation.
12:30	→	13:45	Lunch and networking
13:45	→	15:45	Futures for the brain and mind Recent progress in neuroscience puts us on a clear timeline towards cognitive enhancements and whole-brain emulation. We consider the ways in which these technologies are changing our ways of interacting with the world, and how we can manage this change.
15:45	→	16:15	Drinks and networking
16:15	→	17:45	Physical rejuvenation and beyond Extension of human health- and lifespan is within reach, and to some degree already possible today. With the scale and pace of improvements in healthy human longevity continuing to grow exponentially, we look ahead at what these longevity interventions might be and how they could be made available equitably and ethically.
17:45	→	18:00	Reflections on the day
19:00	→		Conference dinner

Sunday 21st

08:30	→	09:00	Arrival and registration
09:00	→	11:00	The coming wave of AI In this session, we discuss the potentials and impacts of the current wave in AI, starting from regulatory and ethical questions about how these systems are used at present, to what a future with superhuman intelligence could look like.
11:00	→	11:30	Drinks and networking
11:30	→	13:00	Transhumanism locally and globally In this concluding plenary session, we discuss how to empower people locally and globally, and to integrate and celebrate diverse viewpoints and methods; to study where the overlap lies in our goals and where transhumanism, as a paradigm and as a community, is headed.
13:00	→	14:30	Lunch and networking
14:30	→	16:30	Focus groups Several themes will be discussed in-depth in small groups. All participants are encouraged to brainstorm together and share their thoughts. At the end of the session, each table host gives a quick report of the discussions.
16:30	→	17:00	Drinks and networking
17:00	→	17:30	Reflections on the day