There will be a talk by Eliezer Yudkowsky at Stanford on May 29th, next Thursday. The talk will be given at a… frat house! But this is a Stanford frat house, so we can expect intelligent thought rather than drunken yelling. (Though voices are sometimes raised during intense discussions on 19th century philosophers and the specifics of cognitive psychology.) If you live in the area, consider dropping by, as Yudkowsky is known for his engaging talks, which provoke fascinating thoughts for days on end.

The info is on the brand new Stanford Transhumanism Association blog:

“The talk will take place at Phi Kappa Psi at 592 Mayfield Avenue on May 29 (next Thursday) from 6pm to 7:30pm. A delicious dinner will be provided, courtesy of Phi Psi.”

Here is the blurb:

“People looking out into the future - especially the far future - talk about technologies ranging from fusion power to space shuttles. I argue that most of these technologies, however interesting they may be in their own right, pale compared to the impact upon humanity’s future of the cognitive technologies; those that directly impact on human minds, or that offer us the ability to create nonhuman minds. Such technologies promise to make the future genuinely different from what we know today, in a way that no possible amount of non-cognitive advancement could do.”

Should be excellent.