Posted 28 January 2006 - 06:14 PM
Hi, everybody. Thanks to all who have taken interest in this event.
I wish to report on the meeting that took place yesterday. Other participants are welcome to correct me, add or emphasize anything that may have been missed.
Despite the fact that personal notes have been sent to over 40 Israeli members of the Immortality Institute and World Transhumanist Association – 7 persons attended this first meeting.
Still, this meeting may have been an important achievement and a good start for future development. The avid discussion that preceded it and the establishment of a quite extensive Israeli Immortalist/Transhumanist network, may be considered among its major accomplishments.
The meeting itself provided a great opportunity to meet all the wonderful people whom we previously knew only by their nicknames and forum postings:
Adi Berman, a high-school student , whom we all know and love made the great effort to come to a distant part of the country to attend this meeting. She also had to miss school – which was almost unavoidable, as Israeli schools work Sundays through Fridays, and on Saturdays there is no public transportation or public services whatsoever. Without her, this meeting couldn’t have taken place. Thanks, Adi!
Adi’s father, Mr. Berman, who kindly agreed to bring Adi to this meeting.
From a short acquaintance with this kind gentleman, it was nice to learn that Mr. Berman believes that radical life extension is desirable and possible (though perhaps not in our life-time) which definitely qualifies him as an immortalist.
Oded Tshesly, a student of cognitive sciences and philosophy of science at Tel Aviv University, and an active member of the World Transhumanist Association. In his introduction, Oded raised the issue of the mind/substrate relation. It could be only hoped that this and similar related issues could be the subject of our future open friendly discussions. Thanks!
Daniel Stein, a business school graduate now entering a medical school, and the winner of the ImmInst essay contest, whom most of us know for his brilliant scholarly posts and essays. His translating and original writing endeavor continues, and we should all look forward to its results. Adi’s and Daniel’s translations can be found in the Hebrew section of the WTA website, and presently they constitute its only content.
Olga Plutsker, a linguist and an artist. Her perception of immortality is of a more humanistic and spiritual tendency. She is a vigorous health enthusiast and animal care activist, and a very kind, helpful, and energetic person. Thanks for coming.
Myself, Ilia Stambler, working as a technical writer at the Biophysical Schottenstein Center for Cellome Research, and studying for a PhD at Bar Ilan History of Science Department (thesis subject: life-extensionism). It was my great privilege to help organizing this meeting, and I truly hope there will be other meetings, where we could not only discuss plans for future outreach, but also make our group into an open club where we could discuss topical/ideological issues relevant to immortalism and transhumanism (which might be of less emphasis in other health improvement groups) – perhaps to act as a “miniature local off-line” cell of ImmInst/WTA.
Lior Homen, a computer expert and fitness instructor. Thanks for taking such an active part in this meeting. We may perhaps all agree with Lior’s programmatic suggestions, considering the group’s goals: to increase public awareness of life extension, to cooperate with international and local organizations, with the aim of achieving a significant life-extension within our life time; as also considering the means to that purpose, such as gathering and dissemination of educational/ promotional resources, and the “marketing-like” specific audience-oriented approach.
The possible ways to achieve these objectives, as was suggested, could be through the internet (by creating a special Hebrew site or a stronger contribution to Israeli sections of ImmInst and WTA), a series of conventions/meetings (whose future content needs determining), as well as possible involvement in partnerships, including an attempt to receive sponsorship. Some controversy arouse as to a possible name of our group, that would sound well and acceptable in Hebrew.
Among the more immediate things to do, it was suggested to create a more comprehensive contact list, and gather resources for future meetings or the sites.
Then we took pictures of ourselves (some of which are attached below, except for Oded and Adi who didn’t wish their photos to be posted).
It is deeply regrettable that many people were not able to attend: David (who is now in India), Danny (who now has to be in the reserve service), Alex (who lives too far away), Eli, Frida, Diza, Ido, Buga, Indi, Gil, Noam, and all the others. We missed you guys!
Hopefully, there will be other meetings, though we should probably choose a more suitable day and time and define the agenda beforehand. But the very fact that we just met is already great!
Thanks again to all who attended or took interest.
