INTERVIEW with Zoltan Istvan – 2016 US Presidential Candidate promising indefinite lifespan

THE INTERVIEW WITH ZOLTAN ISTVAN

This is the first time an open atheist, and more particularly a transhumanist is running for US Presidency. Just like US, most Africans are deeply religious and at the same time cherish so strongly their African cultural traditions. These belief systems have made them to passionately fight the liberalization efforts by President Barack Obama to change the continent’s mindset on LGBT. Transhumanists on the other hand want to tell Africans that science and technology is capable of venturing into a domain that exclusively belongs to God – that science and technology can make people live potentially forever. Are you confident that transhumanism agenda can be introduced in Africa without causing a major backlash?

I’m absolutely convinced that transhumanism will be successfully introduced to Africa. Whether there will be some minor conflict is another matter. Even in America, I see the 5-10 year future having street demonstrations and protests against the coming of transhumanist technology. Religious people are simply not going to accept some of this radical technology that will come out, such as designer babies, cranial implants, and artificial wombs. However, as this technology becomes available, people will begin to see the obvious health and well-being benefits, and then everyone will eventually be thankful for transhumanism.

Transhumanism has so much hope on sentient AI, an AI with free-will. In some of the articles that you have published you have clearly said that AI should not be allowed to harm humanity. Is it possible to have an AI with free-will but at the same time is incapable of making choices that are harmful to man?

No body knows the answer to that question yet. And I am quite convinced that we never should find out either. I think we should aim to create an AI that can be independent, but also plan to integrate ourselves with it so it will never be independent. There’s just no reason to ever take that risk. I think we should spend enormous resources so that we can mind upload into an AI-like machine, and that when we first let that AI be free, we’ll also be a part of it.

In your interview that was published by Popular Science, you mention that if you become US President you will channel billions and trillions of dollars to science and technology for ensuring faster progress of longevity or even immortality oriented technologies. Does that mean that you won’t pay much attention to technologies intended to solve the day to day problems faced by the common African man? Technologies like those geared towards provision of clean water to every human being on the planet?

In a perfect world, I would love to give everybody everything. Clean water, perfect health, great family life, and material happiness. But there’s never enough resources to do that, so I have made it my primary goal to try to channel money into life extension science. However, that in no way means I wouldn’t focus on the basics for people, such as those in Africa and elsewhere who don’t have clean water. My goal for America and Planet Earth is to make it so all people have the basics covered, and then at the same time also have access to some of the radical technologies transhumanists are bringing into the world, such as life extension advances.

Africa has made huge progress in the last few years but the continent still faces numerous challenges like access to clean water, diseases (Ebola, HIV, Malaria, etc), illiteracy and access to technologies to alleviate those challenges. I believe that Africa would do much better if they controlled some of the research projects aimed at solving their problems. If you become the President of the United States, how would you ensure that there are enough research facilities in Africa to resolve the never ending African problems?

I believe many of Africa’s problems revolve around the oppression the entire continent has faced over centuries, especially religious. I’ve traveled extensively through Africa, to about 20 countries I believe. Africa would do better to shed the religions that have been forced upon them, and take up a secular minded perspective. That would help build industry and a new vibrant culture. I think once that occurred, many foreign investors would pour money into Africa, hoping to be great partners. It would be my hope that these investments would be directed at starting new research facilities and economic enterprises in Africa that would directly help the people solve their problems.

The transhuman timeline for actualization of the technologies that will usher in the Homo machina seem to solely rely on an equation whose variables are derived from technological status of the developed nations. Where is Africa in the transhuman equation? As a president of the most powerful nation, how would you ensure that Africa is part and parcel of the transhuman progress?

I’ve said this many times now, that’s it’s important for all people around the world to participate in the coming transhumanist age. As a planet, we have come a long way promoting democracy and good will for our fellow human beings. We need to continue this and do better, and this also includes making transhumanist technology available to all Africans. We must invest in the country and Africa’s ability to contribute to the future of the planet.

The Internet is an important tool that can enable Africa play catch up very quickly as has been demonstrated in the past few years. The Internet is largely under the control of ICANN but the global community wants an independent internationally constituted body to have control over the domain names, Internet protocol addresses, and application port numbers. Will your administration work towards meeting the global demand for Internet independence?

If there’s a global demand for internet independence, then we would agree to do whatever is best for the planet as a whole. We believe using the internet should be a right. Have free and uninhibited access to the internet should be something all people have.

The above extends to net neutrality. There are American tech companies operating in places like India and Africa that take advantage of lack of net neutrality laws and policies in the said countries. Recently Internet.org has received a lot of backlash on the same issue. What is your personal view on global net neutrality?

I think net neutrality is an important issue. Everyone should have equal and fair access to the internet, and we should not be forced to favor one type of content over another. At the same time, it’s important that the internet remain dynamic, and we must be cautious to have the government interfering too much with something like the internet.

For a long time the interaction between US  and Africa has been based on US giving help in the form of aid, but the new youthful generation feel that doing business is the way to go. People like Dambisya Moyo have even written highly publicized books calling the wealthy nations to stop giving aid but instead do business with Africa. Where is your stand on this, and will you encourage US businesses to invest in Africa? Will you fully open up the American market to products from Africa?

I think we should continue to give aid, but slowly attempt to get Africa operating totally on its own but investing in Africa. The goal is that all nations and continents can stand proudly on their own. I know there are lots of laws and trade pacts that are making business too difficult for small farmers and the like. The American government needs to relook at its policies. Furthermore, I do think eventually we will be heading for a global government, as technology becomes something too powerful and pervasive to maintain so many nations in the world. If this global government happens, then Africa will likely benefit much, I think.

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