Journal of Evolution and Technology
Encyclopedia
The Journal of Evolution and Technology is the peer-reviewed
, electronic, academic journal
of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
, which publishes contemporary foresight into long-term developments in science
, technology
and philosophy
.
The journal's original name was the Journal of Transhumanism; in 2004 it was subsequently renamed to its current title, to reflect a broader scope beyond transhumanism
into more mainstream futurist, albeit, technoprogressive viewpoints.
The goal of the Journal is to bring futurist schools of thought into the academic mainstream. That is, while specifically technoscientific in orientation, these schools have been criticized as being groups of scientists, engineers and laymen
promoting fringe theories
, a position much alluded to by critics who claimed these groups were out of touch with academic opinion. The Journal of Evolution and Technology, then, is an attempt by academic futurists with a technoprogressive perspective to draw new and challenging ideas into the realm of peer review to counter bioconservative publications, such as the New Atlantis magazine
.
On January 16, 2008, Russell Blackford
was appointed editor-in-chief of the Journal.
Peer review
Peer review is a process of self-regulation by a profession or a process of evaluation involving qualified individuals within the relevant field. Peer review methods are employed to maintain standards, improve performance and provide credibility...
, electronic, academic journal
Academic journal
An academic journal is a peer-reviewed periodical in which scholarship relating to a particular academic discipline is published. Academic journals serve as forums for the introduction and presentation for scrutiny of new research, and the critique of existing research...
of the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies
The Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies was founded in 2004 by philosopher Nick Bostrom and bioethicist James Hughes. Incorporated in the United States as a non-profit 501 organization, the IEET is a self-described "technoprogressive think tank" that seeks to contribute to understanding...
, which publishes contemporary foresight into long-term developments in science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
and philosophy
Philosophy
Philosophy is the study of general and fundamental problems, such as those connected with existence, knowledge, values, reason, mind, and language. Philosophy is distinguished from other ways of addressing such problems by its critical, generally systematic approach and its reliance on rational...
.
The journal's original name was the Journal of Transhumanism; in 2004 it was subsequently renamed to its current title, to reflect a broader scope beyond transhumanism
Transhumanism
Transhumanism, often abbreviated as H+ or h+, is an international intellectual and cultural movement that affirms the possibility and desirability of fundamentally transforming the human condition by developing and making widely available technologies to eliminate aging and to greatly enhance human...
into more mainstream futurist, albeit, technoprogressive viewpoints.
The goal of the Journal is to bring futurist schools of thought into the academic mainstream. That is, while specifically technoscientific in orientation, these schools have been criticized as being groups of scientists, engineers and laymen
Layman
A layperson or layman is a person who is not an expert in a given field of knowledge. The term originally meant a member of the laity, i.e. a non-clergymen, but over the centuries shifted in definition....
promoting fringe theories
Fringe science
Fringe science is scientific inquiry in an established field of study that departs significantly from mainstream or orthodox theories, and is classified in the "fringes" of a credible mainstream academic discipline....
, a position much alluded to by critics who claimed these groups were out of touch with academic opinion. The Journal of Evolution and Technology, then, is an attempt by academic futurists with a technoprogressive perspective to draw new and challenging ideas into the realm of peer review to counter bioconservative publications, such as the New Atlantis magazine
New Atlantis magazine
The New Atlantis, founded in 2003, is a journal about the social and political dimensions of science and technology. Published by the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center in Washington, D.C., the journal is a quarterly, and consists of serious essays on a variety of science and technology...
.
On January 16, 2008, Russell Blackford
Russell Blackford
Russell Blackford is an Australian writer, philosopher, and critic, based for many years in Melbourne, Victoria. He was born in Sydney, and grew up in Lake Macquarie district, near Newcastle, NSW. He moved to Melbourne in 1979, but returned to Newcastle to live and work in 2009.-Writing career:As a...
was appointed editor-in-chief of the Journal.