[tt] CFP: H+, Cog Enh & AI Issue of Minds and Machines - Deadline Jan 2009

[Hughes, James J.]

CALL FOR PAPERS

Minds and Machines
A Journal for Artificial Intelligence, Philosophy and Cognitive Science

Special Issue: Transhumanism, Cognitive Enhancement and AI (expected:
November 2009)

Submissions are invited for a special issue of the journal Mind and
Machines on the topic of transhumanism, cognitive enhancement,
cyborgization, uploading and artificial intelligence.

Guest editors:

* James Hughes Ph.D., Public Policy Studies, Trinity College, Hartford
CT USA
* Mark Walker Ph.D., Dept. of Philosophy, New Mexico State University

Contact us with any questions at james.hughes at trincoll.edu


Important dates

Submission deadline: Jan. 15, 2009
     	
Notification of acceptance/rejection: March 15, 2009

Final revision deadline: May 15, 2009


Focus of the Special Issue

Transhumanists believe that we can and should use technology to overcome
the limitations of the human brain and body. For example, transhumanists
advocate using technology to radically increase our lifespan,
intelligence, happiness, and virtue. In relation to the themes of the
journal of Minds and Machines transhumanists advocate cognitive
enhancement along three vectors.

One vector is cognitive enhancement using pharmaceuticals, genetic
therapies and tissue engineering. Direct modification of the organic
brain will allow human beings to increase our intelligence, expand our
memory, sharpen our capacity for concentration, and eliminate cognitive
and psychological disabilities.

A second vector is through 'cyborgization' - the incorporation of
devices, nanorobots and computers into the body. This trajectory may
permit the augmentation of the senses with artificial hearing and sight
superior to organic ears and eyes, the direct augmentation of cognition
with brain prostheses, and connecting the brain wirelessly to the
Internet.  These technologies will likely converge with the growth of
virtual worlds and augmented reality, blurring divisions between the
"virtual" and the "real."

The third vector of human enhancement is through the creation of
'mind-children,' computers and robots with, at least, human-level
cognition, emotions and abilities. These machine minds may be created
either through efforts to create artificial life and general
intelligence, and/or by uploading human minds into machines.  Once
created these machine minds may be far more capable and powerful than
organic humans.

This special issue of Mind and Machines will explore the philosophical
problems and implications of the transhumanist project in regards to
these processes, cognitive enhancement, cyborgization and the creation
of mind children. How far can these processes go, and how far should
they go?


Possible Topics:

* What philosophical questions are posed by efforts to enhance
intellectual, aesthetic and moral abilities with drugs, gene therapies,
brain machines and computers?
* What philosophical questions are posed by cyborgization, uploading and
the blurring of the real and virtual?
* How plausible are cognitive enhancement, human-machine integration,
immersive virtual reality and the brain prostheses?
* How should we regulate cognitive enhancement, cyborgization and
uploading?
* Is uploading the mind to a computer platform possible?
* What ethical guidelines should govern uploading and the intentional
creation of machine minds?
* What implications do these technologies pose for personal identity and
legal personhood? At what point, if any, do machines minds become
rights-bearing persons?
* How likely is it that our descendents will be embodied in machines
that stand to us in intelligence as we do our hominid ancestors?

Length

We anticipate that this issue will contain around 10 papers and, as a
working guide, the papers should be between 4000 and 12,000 words in
length.

Formatting instructions

Formatting guidelines are available here:
http://www.springer.com/computer/artificial/journal/11023

Submission procedure

Manuscripts must be submitted electronically and in the Microsoft Word
(not LaTex) format to james.hughes at trincoll.edu (not to the Springer
site), properly formatted, by January 15, 2009. 

Review process

Each submission will ideally receive two reviews. Completed review forms
will be forwarded to the corresponding authors. Please suggest up to
three external reviewers to facilitate the review process.

About Mind and Machines

Affiliated with the Society for Machines and Mentality, the journal
Minds and Machines fosters a tradition of criticism within the AI and
philosophical communities on problems and issues of common concern. Its
scope explicitly encompasses philosophical aspects of computer science.

The journal affords an international forum for the discussion and debate
of important and controversial issues concerning significant
developments within its areas of editorial focus. It features special
issues devoted to specific topics, critical responses to previously
published pieces, and review essays discussing current problem
situations.