R.U. Sirius Teaches an Online Class
An associate of mine, as well as teenagehood admiration-target, is the psychedelic cyberculture pioneer R.U. Sirius. R.U. emailed me to let me know that he is teaching an online course at the new Evolver Academy, titled "Transhumanism, Singularities, and Other Far Out Futures", much more fascinating than the other slew of online classes out there. The general theme is that he assigns reading, establishes topics for discourse, then launches into discussion. Here's the page and the summary:
"While we face a perfect storm of crises that pose an existential threat to the human species (among others), we also are aware of movements in technology, science and consciousness that promise (or threaten) to expand and extend human possibilities and to allow us to remake ourselves – to guide our own evolution. In this course, we will explore visions of the human future. Starting with an examination of current developments pointing towards a posthuman future, we will look at the transhumanist view of a technologically-enhanced humanity, the countercultural visions of modern primitivism (or techno-paganism), and the possibilities for singularities and a hedonic 21st Century. This course can serve as a meeting place for hardheaded "reductionist" technophiles, psychedelic visionaries, and quirky iconoclastic futurists."
Sounds pretty interesting. R.U. is the editor-in-chief for H+ magazine, not to mention a fun guy who is a living cyberculture icon. He interviewed me back in May 2007, with both audio and a transcript available.