"Spiritualities of Human Enhancement and Artificial Intelligence" International Conference, Vancouver December 1st and 2nd 2017 CALL FOR PAPERS

Hongming Cheng Announcement
Location
British Columbia, Canada
Subject Fields
History of Science, Medicine, and Technology, Humanities, Religious Studies and Theology, Social Sciences, Sociology

"Spiritualities of Human Enhancement and
Artificial Intelligence"

International Conference,

Vancouver
December 1st and 2nd 2017

CALL FOR PAPERS
The Saskatchewan Center for Science and Religion invites submissions of paper proposals for
its inaugural conference on “Spiritualities of Human Enhancement and Artificial Intelligence.”

This conference aims to start and deepen interdisciplinary conversations about human
enhancement, artificial intelligence, and spirituality. We welcome papers by academics working
from diverse perspectives, including scientists and scholars of religion who are willing to analyse
the spiritual implications of issues surrounding human enhancement and artificial intelligence
(even if they ultimately conclude that spirituality is not relevant to this nexus). Topics may
include, but are not limited to, how artificial intelligence may make spirituality obsolete or
augment it, the challenge of transhumanism for world religions, the religious-ethical implications
of artificial intelligence, faith traditions’ reactions to efforts to engineer human enhancement, and
the opportunities and significant tensions emerging for religious traditions in light of recent
developments in artificial intelligence research.

The conference will be held at the Guildford Sheraton Hotel in Surrey, B.C. It will feature a panel
discussion and keynote presentations by Ray Kurzweil (http://www.kurzweilai.net/), Peter
Robinson PhD (http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/~pr10/), Wei Lai (author of Science and God), and
Tracy J. Trothen ThD (http://www.queensu.ca/religion/people/faculty/tracy-j-trothen).

Please submit a 400-word abstract of a paper that can be presented in 20 minutes, along with a
current CV to sask.scienceandreligion@gmail.com by October 16, 2017. Those chosen to
present will be informed shortly after that date and will have their conference fees waived. Copresented papers are welcome. Questions from academics can be directed to the chair of the
conference planning committee at chrynkow@stmcollege.ca.

Contact Information

Saskatchewan Center for Science and Religion Inc.
#840 - 606 Spadina Cres. East | Saskatoon, SK S7K 3H1 | Canada

Contact Email
sask.scienceandreligion@gmail.com