Newton Lee

Newton Lee is a computer scientist who is an author and administrator in the field of education and technology commercialization.

Quotes

 * Learning is an innate human behavior. A healthy baby is happy and excited to learn to speak, play and express itself. Why should learning stop being fun? The human race cannot survive without continuous learning. Let us impart the enthusiasm and creativity of learning in the classrooms.
 * Virginia Tech Collegiate Times (November 1990)


 * I sometimes wish to be a kid again and go through life a little differently.
 * The Nightmares of a Journalist (1991)


 * Human beings will never evolve to higher creatures if we are constantly restricted by rules and regulations.
 * The Nightmares of a Journalist (1991)


 * Being a Disney VoluntEAR reinforces my belief in Walt's vision for The Walt Disney Company to bring happiness to every family in the world.
 * Disney Consumer Products News (Summer 1998)


 * I am never content with what I have [accomplished]. Jimmy reminded me of those less fortunate than I, people out there who are struggling just to survive.
 * Disney Consumer Products News (Summer 1998)


 * The meaning of life for human beings is to serve one another for the survival of humanity and the advancement of civilization.
 * ACM Computers in Entertainment (Volume 3, Issue 1, January 2005)


 * Through knowledge, you can develop the economy. Without knowledge, you cannot improve a society.
 * American Film Institute (November 4, 2006)


 * May we all come to realize that education and the humanities should be valued for nurturing our minds and society as a whole, and not only as a means to build future careers.
 * ACM Computers in Entertainment (Volume 5, Issue 2, May 2007)


 * You can be a good Christian and a transhumanist. You can be a good Muslim and a transhumanist. You can be a good Buddhist and a transhumanist. Transhumanism gives different religions a common ground for people to live peacefully together, and as a result, to create a better future -- a brave new world of utopia, not dystopia.
 * People Unlimited’s Ageless Education (April 7, 2019)


 * Everyone has talent. The question is how do we find it, and how do we nurture it?
 * Vincennes University (December 2019)


 * COVID-19 is a wake-up call for humanity to be born again. In Christianity, born again is an experience when the teachings of Jesus become real, and the “born again” acquires a personal relationship with God. In humanity, born again is an experience when the teachings of natural phenomena become real, and the “born again” acquires a personal relationship with the planet Earth.
 * LinkedIn (April 13, 2020)


 * We can change our future, but we cannot escape our destiny. That is why life is a journey, not a destination. All roads lead to Rome, but our actions and inaction determine the meaning of our life regardless of the outcome.
 * LinkedIn (January 1, 2021)


 * The Tower of Babel fell apart not because of technology but because of languages.
 * LinkedIn (April 28, 2021)


 * If you are too careful about taking risks, you end up not doing anything. If you don’t want to take any responsibilities, again you end up doing nothing in life. Transhumanists are the ones who actually want to take risks and want to take responsibilities. And that’s what we are doing!
 * Collective Superintelligence Summit (June 4, 2021)


 * AI is already embedded in our daily life. There are more AI applications than people realize. I think of AI as "augmented intelligence" instead of "artificial intelligence".
 * LinkedIn (February 26, 2022)

Disney Stories: Getting to Digital, 2012

 * Disney Stories: Getting to Digital (Springer, April 26, 2012)


 * Change was a constant in Walt Disney’s commitment to tell a story well, to bring it to an audience through the technology of the day, and to push that technology so that rather than controlling the story, it enhanced the story and gave it an opportunity to touch people, to speak to each of them individually, to make it believable.


 * Apart from a 20-minute stunt as Eeyore at Disneyland for “Disney Way One” and countless joyful hours of volunteering with my fellow colleagues, my job at Disney Online was mainly to make children happy by creating entertaining and educational games.

Digital Da Vinci: Computers in Music, 2014

 * Digital Da Vinci: Computers in Music (Springer, April 30, 2014)


 * Computers and music are converging in a new era of digital Renaissance as more and more musicians such as will.i.am are learning how to code while an increasing number of software programmers are learning how to play music.


 * MP3 and peer-to-peer file sharing technology single-handedly disrupted the age-old music business. iTunes and YouTube have displaced record stores and MTV. If we take the cue from Netflix which has successfully produced original content, it will not be long before Apple and Google will sign new artists and rival the record labels.

Digital Da Vinci: Computers in the Arts and Sciences, 2014

 * Digital Da Vinci: Computers in the Arts and Sciences (Springer, August 2, 2014)


 * To quote computer graphics pioneer Ivan Sutherland who said in 1965: "The ultimate display would, of course, be a room within which the computer can control the existence of matter. A chair displayed in such a room would be good enough to sit in. Handcuffs displayed in such a room would be confining, and a bullet displayed in such a room would be fatal." Sutherland's futuristic vision sounds just like Star Trek’s holodeck!

Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness (2nd Edition), 2014

 * Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness (2nd Edition) (Springer, October 20, 2014)


 * Information is power. Disinformation is abuse of power.


 * Every major technological innovation propels humanity forward to the point of no return.


 * With the massive amount of personal data on the Internet, Facebook nation has opened Pandora's box of total information awareness in the age of big data. Fortunately, Pandora's box released not only evil but also hope. ... The hope is that good will trump evil.


 * Dictatorship of the majority over the minority would be an encroachment on the rights of the individual and their prerogative to personal freedom.


 * The useful information for the millions outweighs the privacy of the few.


 * Better information awareness does not mean less personal freedoms. Feeling safe in school is a prerequisite for a conducive learning environment. Everyone should be free to express their opinions, voice their concerns, and become better informed.


 * Not only that “every dog has its day”, but also that “every dog has its data” in the digital information age.


 * Facebook nation exists in the intersection of humanities and sciences, somewhere in between the fictional worlds of The Godfather Part II and Minority Report.


 * Personal analytics combined with social networks provide a high-tech mechanism for self-help and self-improvement.


 * As wearable devices, health tracking, and quantified self are gaining popularity, human beings are also becoming part of the Internet of things.


 * As citizen journalists and bloggers are becoming more important in news gathering and timely dissemination, mainstream media has found an important ally in the Fifth Estate.


 * Thanks to the Internet, words can travel at the speed of light, and no amount of censorship can stop the flow of information. ... Thanks to Malala’s courage, no militant can silence her. Thanks to the Internet, the pen is mightier than the sword.


 * Social media amplifies both the good side and the dark side of human nature. ... Notwithstanding human ignorance, freedom of expression is essential.


 * Like the seemingly impossible moon landing, Hollywood has repeatedly predicted the future, including self-destructing messages.


 * Although there is a delicate balance between children’s privacy and parental awareness, a good parent should always be attentive to their children’s activities and feelings – both online and offline.


 * Social media has given a new meaning to life after death.


 * One of the root causes of miscommunication is that people do not always mean what they say or do.


 * Online dating versus traditional dating is like using an electronic calculator versus an abacus. They both can give you accurate results if used properly, but one of them is obviously faster and easier in the modern age.


 * The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: data brokers are like the Wild West -- untamed and without governance.


 * Every major technological innovation propels humanity forward to the point of no return. ... Instead of turning back, we must continue to innovate and push humanity towards the next point of no return. It is a good thing.


 * By satisfying the insatiable desire for communication with others who seem to be willing to listen, people have voluntarily sacrificed some degree of personal privacy. “Have one’s cake and eat it too” does not apply to personal privacy in the world of ubiquitous social networks.


 * To some, Facebook is both a self-published tabloid and a public relations gem. To others, Facebook is a communication tool for families and friends around the world to stay in touch. From a macroscopic point of view, Facebook offers insights into public sentiments and national trends. In a microscopic view, Facebook allows people to reach out and connect on a very personal level.


 * Why is it that technology is often the one to blame? On the contrary, social media encourages people to “think aloud” and come up with bold, new, controversial, or opposing ideas.


 * The future is arriving sooner than we imagine.


 * While Mutual Assured Destruction (MAD) helps prevent World War III, Total Information Awareness (TIA) offers insights into some of the biggest challenges facing humanity.


 * Only time will tell if serendipity becomes zemblanity as consumers are constantly bombarded by advertisements.


 * The question is not whether Total Information Awareness (TIA) is here to stay; the real question is whether TIA is a one-way street or a two-way street.


 * In spite of the potential risk of misinformation and disinformation, anonymous social apps can be powerful tools for citizen journalists, whistleblowers, political activists, crime tippers, and other cybercitizens whose online privacy is a matter of the utmost importance.


 * In humanity, there is no one size fits all. The best we can all do is to be vigilant and empathic at the same time.


 * The levers of power have been tipping toward the public, thanks to social media.


 * Morning newspapers are yesterday's news; social media news are the now moments.


 * In the digital world, delete does not always delete.


 * Online births and deaths in Facebook Nation made me question why people could not live without borders. Birthright citizenship is like being baptized into a religion as an infant. Taking a page from Veronica Roth’s novel Divergent, people should be free to choose where they belong when they grow up.

Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity: Total Information Awareness (2nd Edition), 2015

 * Counterterrorism and Cybersecurity: Total Information Awareness (2nd Edition) (Springer, April 7, 2015)


 * Cybersecurity is everyone's responsibility. ... In the spirit of President John F. Kennedy, one may proclaim: "Ask not what cybersecurity can do for you, ask what you can do for cybersecurity."


 * No single countermeasure or mitigation service is 100% efficacious. It requires the entire international community to ACT — Achieve Cybersecurity Together. As the world is increasingly interconnected, everyone shares the responsibility of securing cyberspace.


 * Journalists should be watchdogs, not lapdogs.


 * An open internet is an open platform for debating opposing views. It allows both popular and unpopular voices to be heard. It is a civilized outlet for frustrated individuals to express themselves without resorting to violence or terrorism.


 * The two-way street of Total Information Awareness is the road that leads to a more transparent and complete picture of ourselves, our governments, and our world.


 * While information is the oxygen of the modern age, disinformation is the carbon monoxide that can poison generations.


 * American civil rights activist and U.S. Army Sergeant Medgar Evers once said that "you can kill a man, but you can't kill an idea." His statement applies to both good and evil. Drones are powerful assassination weapons that offer short-term fixes. Drones kill terrorists, but not the idea of terrorism in the long term.


 * War is legitimized state-sponsored terrorism in a grand scale.


 * The enormous amount of financial resources and creative energy that nations have spent on wars and weapons could have been redirected to curing deadly diseases, feeding the hungry, eliminating poverty, promoting art and culture, investing in renewable clean energy, and solving a host of other important challenges facing humanity.


 * The U.S. government needs to learn from successful private businesses that run an effective and efficient operation in serving their customers and outwitting their competitors.


 * There is a fine line between free speech and hate speech. Free speech encourages debate whereas hate speech incites violence.


 * Illegal spying happens more often than not, but to various degrees depending on the perpetrators and the persons of interest. Besides being morally wrong, unsanctioned or extracurricular spying activities risk the unnecessary exposure of technological apparatus and the potential compromise of the espionage network. When a covert action is not fully supported by a spying organization from top to bottom, an unintentional domino or butterfly effect can jeopardize ongoing and future legitimate operations (to the happy tune of counterintelligence).


 * The Sony saga has brought to light a hidden sinister: Cyber terrorism has reached a whole new level by combining cyber attacks and threats of physical terrorism.


 * Cyber attacks and terrorist threats are a lethal combination that can only be resolved by aligning conscientious counterterrorism policies with cybersecurity technologies.


 * The most effective propaganda is a mixture of truths, half truths, and lies.


 * Trying to get rid of the symptoms (terrorists) without paying attention to the root cause (terrorist motives) does not eradicate the disease but may instead exacerbate it.


 * Drugs and terrorism are both mind-altering and deadly.


 * While there are a number of ways to combat terrorism, attempting to cure the symptoms without tackling the root causes is like waging a losing war on drugs.


 * Terrorism is metastasizing like cancer in the global body of humanity.


 * A man who is at peace with himself is less likely to turn into an extremist or a terrorist.


 * 1/2 cup of hope and 1/2 cup of kindness seem like a litmus test by asking "Is the glass half empty or half full?" Nature shows us in every waking moment that where there is life, there is hope. And to quote the movie Horns starring Daniel Radcliffe and Juno Temple, "Man is not born evil. The Devil himself was a fallen angel," there is kindness in everyone if you dig deep enough.


 * It would make a positive difference in world security and counterterrorism by setting our mind on pursuing peaceful solutions rather than escalating the war on terror. Mahatma Gandhi once said, "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty."


 * Satire in media such as The Interview and Charlie Hebdo walk a fine line between freedom of speech and dangerous incitement.


 * It will make a positive difference in world security and counterterrorism by setting our mind on pursuing peaceful solutions rather than escalating the war on terror.


 * Mahatma Gandhi once said, "You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is like an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty." Besides, two wrongs do not make a right. President Obama is right: Peace is the only path to true security.


 * It is conceivable that AI will be able to understand all the news and investigative reports in all languages from both traditional and social media, connect the dots, predict imminent dangers, and identify long-term concerns.


 * To err is human. AI software modeled after humans will inevitably make mistakes. It is fine as long as the software learns from its errors and improves itself, which is something that humans ought to learn from AI. Aldous Huxley, author of Brave New World, wrote in "Case of Voluntary Ignorance" in Collected Essays (1959): "That men do not learn very much from the lessons of history is the most important of all the lessons that history has to teach."


 * Finger-pointing can derail progress and incite revenge.


 * Media manipulation is commonplace. For people who do not look outside their comfort zone, they will never learn the whole truth. If scientists had not challenged the status quo, we would not have enjoyed modern medicine and technological innovations today.


 * It is pointless to debate which religions promote peace or violence. Even Buddhist monks who are widely regarded as pacifists have taken up arms in strife-torn regions ... Religious experiences are, by nature, emotional and subject to interpretations by clergy and believers throughout history.


 * Regardless of how secure a communication line is and how unbreakable a cryptographic algorithm seems to be, the weak links are often the endpoints - the sender (before encryption) and the recipient (after decryption) - unless they are code talkers using a language more obscure than Navajo.


 * Too many people prefer to stay inside their own comfort zones with a one-sided liberal or conservative sentiment.


 * American musician and activist Henry Rollins once said, "A coward hides behind freedom. A brave person stands in front of freedom and defends it for others." Murdering innocent people who are defenseless is a cowardly act. Standing up to difficult life circumstances and oppressive regimes is bravery.


 * Deadly weapons as big as a missile-equipped drone and as small as a .50-caliber bullet are now under software control, which could be disastrous if they were hacked.


 * One should not underestimate the power of persuasion by well-crafted propaganda films. D. W. Griffith's The Birth of a Nation in 1915 helped to resurrect Ku Klux Klan in Georgia; and Leni Riefenstahl's award-winning Triumph of the Will in 1935 helped fuel the rise of Nazism in Germany.


 * Give a human face to drug users and understand why they need narcotics is the only chance that we have to win the war on drugs. ... Give a human face to terrorists and understand why they resort to violence is the only chance that we have to win the war on terror.


 * Although our every move may be monitored and recorded, we feel complete freedom to do whatsoever we want other than causing harm to others or damages to properties.


 * Temporary safety is not the same as long-term security. A false sense of security is like the calm before the storm.


 * Peace is the only path to true security; and peace requires both free speech and willingness to listen.


 * The "need to know" syndrome had reached epidemic proportions within the U.S. government, all the way to top including the Presidents of the United States (giving them the benefit of the doubt).


 * Each and everyone on Earth can make one small step, which will cumulatively result in a giant leap for mankind towards world peace.


 * World peace is as simple and elegant as E=mc2. Peace is not a mystery. We know what peace is. The questions are: How do we get there? How long does it take to get there? Do we need another Einstein to help figure this out?


 * Humankind too often cooks up an excuse to start war instead of making peace. Rather than developing better strategies to win wars, we should focus on better recipes to attain peace.


 * There is nothing like having a United Nations at home.


 * In ancient times, countries and tribes form alliances through arranged marriages. Nowadays, it is up to eligible bachelors and bachelorettes to forge friendship, peace, and understanding among nations and races through civil unions.


 * With over a billion active users, Facebook is in a unique position to influence the world by enabling Facebook users to create grassroots movements for peace.


 * Vital information for the millions outweighs the privacy of the few.


 * Stolen digital certificates and DNS poisoning make a lethal cocktail.


 * Universities are good at producing engineers, doctors, lawyers, and such, but they often gloss over difficult moral and philosophical subjects such as the meaning of life, love, prejudice, war, and peace.
 * A just and lasting peace demands apologies and forgiveness. ... A just and lasting peace embraces gender equality. ... A just and lasting peace calls for economic reforms.


 * Experiencing a melting pot of cultures within an immediate or extended family on a daily basis is nothing less than marvelous, stimulating, and conducive to personal growth.


 * The more information that countries and peoples have about each other, the better and safer the world will become.


 * The pen is mightier than the sword. Through uncensored journalistic investigations and opinion pieces presenting both sides of the coin, the press can eliminate the need for terrorists to commit violent crimes in order to get their messages across.

Google It: Total Information Awareness, 2016

 * Google It: Total Information Awareness (Springer, October 25, 2016)


 * Verily, trust Google. The truth is out there; we just need to know how to Google it!


 * Sometimes the answers are hiding in plain sight. A eureka moment came to Archimedes when he connected the dots between the ordinary routine of taking a bath and the scientific pursuit of determining the volume of an irregularly shaped object.


 * Total information awareness has helped to stabilize relations among international powers, and to that end espionage is making the world a safer place.


 * Too many people prefer to stay inside their own comfort zones with a one-sided liberal or conservative sentiment, creating their own information silos.


 * When people refuse to see how things look from another point of view, their silo mentality has fueled arguments in families, disputes with neighbors, bigotry between races, and conflicts among nations.


 * Albert Einstein quipped that “everyone sits in the prison of his own ideas; he must burst it open.” Although we may not have the complete knowledge or we may be bombarded with contradictory information, we can still make informed decisions based on wisdom and the knowledge of good and evil.


 * Knowledge in and of itself is devoid of good and evil. Knowledge, however, does not necessarily make human beings wiser. In fact, knowledge without wisdom can be outright dangerous.


 * We do need education, just not the one-size-fits-all education. Albert Einstein did not talk until he was four years old.


 * The cookie-cutter education system has failed both genius kids and special-needs children. Status quo stifles creativity.


 * Teachers, not students, are the ones who are failing. As Albert Einstein said that “all religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree,” the detachment of philosophy – the forefather of all knowledge and academic disciplines – from mathematics, sciences, and technology is the fundamental reason for failure in modern-day K-12 and higher education.


 * Since the invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the 15th century, mass media has ushered in a new era of collective consciousness – a set of shared beliefs, ideas, and moral attitudes that operate as a unifying force within society. Notwithstanding the danger of assimilation akin to the Borg in Star Trek, the Internet is accelerating collective consciousness and revolutionizing economy, politics, and education, among others.


 * In the foreseeable future, a poor child in a remote corner of the world will be able to create a killer app, solve the P versus NP problem, formulate the Theory of Everything, and find a cure to cancer and other diseases – all without formal education. The Internet is the teacher.


 * Imagine what $1.57 trillion in cash and 7.9 billion hours of service could have done to solve some of the most pressing issues today. We may not achieve an immediate unalloyed success without a few bumps along the way, but the successful Moon landing was preceded by many failures.


 * Moon landing was a huge challenge that was solved by human perseverance and ingenuity, in spite of the mere 50% chance of success according to American astronaut Neil Armstrong. Imagine what else we can accomplish if America and the whole world is determined to eradicate wars, diseases, pollutions, global warming, poverty, homelessness, world hunger, and other human sufferings.


 * It is easier to point fingers than to accept responsibilities. People complain about elected officials but they do not care to vote. They criticize some multinational corporations but their banks and 401K are profiting from the stocks of those companies.


 * A modern-day serpent is anyone who disseminates misinformation and disinformation in their verisimilitude.


 * Unfairness builds character and brings diversity to the otherwise homogeneous and isotropic existence.


 * Diversity emanates beauty.


 * By losing his religion, he has found God.


 * One God, multiple manifestations – in both the spiritual realm and the physical world – just as Albert Einstein wrote about the wave-particle duality of light.


 * A few musical notes can morph into countless new songs, and a small set of vocabulary can create a congeries of poems. Infinite diversity in infinite combinations.


 * Einstein believed that religion and science could coexist without being at odds with one another, in spite of the religious zealots and the gung-ho atheists being constantly at war with each other.


 * According to the second law of thermodynamics, the sum of the entropies of the participating bodies must increase. Yet, living organisms seem to exhibit a deliberate anti-entropic force that hints at “by design” rather than “by chance.”


 * Creationism and Darwinism are not necessarily contradictory; they each have an answer to the age-old catch-22 question “Which came first, the chicken or the egg?”


 * Abrahamic religions – Islam, Christianity, and Judaism – are neither religions of peace nor religions of violence. They are storytellers of the past and forewarners of the future.


 * What will it take to rally all peoples and nations to unite in the name of humanity? An all-out alien invasion or imminent mass extinction? Perhaps a gentler proposal like a Human Heritage Month would help to raise awareness that we are all human beings living together on the same beautiful planet marred by undue human conflicts and selfishness.


 * Forgiveness, not vengeance, yields peace and security.


 * It takes a lot more women than just a few female geniuses, presidents, military combat generals, CEOs, and the new $20 bills with Harriet Tubman to dismantle the entrenched mindset of chauvinism and patriarchy.


 * The Bible is the most brutally honest book that does not whitewash or sugarcoat history.


 * It is up to humankind to make peace on earth, not by force but based on free will. Albert Einstein said, “Whatever there is of God and goodness in the universe, it must work itself out and express itself through us. We cannot stand aside and let God do it.”


 * If the first Christians – as described in the first chapters of the Book of Acts – were to rule the country, the United States of America would embrace socialism or perhaps even communism.


 * Denying the existence of God the Creator is like an artificial intelligent machine doubting the existence of human inventors.


 * Nature shows us its artistic beauty that sciences explain the hows and religions contemplate the whys.


 * It is high time we treated drug abuse and terrorism as diseases instead of wars -- curing the patients rather than killing them.


 * The real solution to human longevity will likely involve both traditional and alternative medicine, scientific and philosophical problem-solving, as well as big data analysis and human intuition.


 * It may come as a surprise to many people that the human genome contains human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) that are linked to cancer, autoimmune diseases, multiple sclerosis, schizophrenia, and more. Gene editing offers a new hope to eradicating many deadly hereditary diseases.


 * The mysterious universe cannot be explained from one angle alone; instead it requires multiple paradigms including Newtonian physics, Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, and Quantum Mechanics.


 * Boredom often stems from the lack of desire to reinvent oneself. Life is anything but boring.


 * The most precious thing that people can give to one another is time.


 * If the meaning of life is futility, human longevity loses its luster.


 * IBM scientist Murray Campbell from the Deep Blue team revealed that the “extremely human move” in the chess game against Gary Kasparov was actually a bug in the program that was later fixed. What an opportune moment for a computer to evince that “To err is human!”


 * There are moments in time when we feel that we are trapped in a mortal body, stuck between a rock and a hard place, being pulled in two opposite directions, or treading the fine line between reality and illusion.


 * In tribute to The Matrix trilogy, artificial superintelligence is the disruptive red pill that will help us to transcend our human limitations in mind, body, and spirit.


 * Instead of fearing the unknown, we must conquer our fear.


 * Human-machine symbiosis goes beyond sexbots to develop empathy and relationship.


 * The last thing we want is a nasty divorce between humans and superintelligent machines, for that would certainly spell the end of the human race.


 * Human-machine symbiosis and artificial superintelligence may hold the key to the Holy Grail of human longevity and immortality.


 * Transhumanism can offer new insights and unorthodox solutions to insurmountable problems that have stumped politicians for years, decades, and centuries.


 * Our strongest ally in the battle against death is the combination of futurism, transhumanism, science, technology, philosophy, and politics.


 * With quantum computing, scientists are learning how to better formulate questions, lest we end up with a perplexing answer like “42.”


 * One can postulate that the supercomputer in The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy was subtly referring to the 42-line Bible, better known as the Gutenberg Bible


 * “To be, or not to be” is such a mesmerizing quote because it applies to almost every decision in life. The choices we make define who we are.


 * Total information awareness has helped to stabilize relations among international powers, and to that end espionage is making the world a safer place.


 * The FBI may decide to leave a suspected mole undisturbed for years in order to feed him false critical information at an opportune moment or to use him to catch a bigger fish.


 * Whether the 6-day creation story is a fable or the truth alluding to time dilation in Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity, the Bible and the Quran – sharing the same root as an Abrahamic religion – are undoubtedly amongst the most profound and influential books ever written.


 * Despite the separation of church and state in the U.S. Constitution, a Christian politician facing a conundrum may ask, “What would Jesus do?” or WWJD. A transhumanist politician not only relies on a moral compass but also seeks the best solutions with the help of science and technology in addition to formal and informal politics.


 * Given the chance to let machines do the job, Google cofounder Larry Page estimated that nine out of 10 people “wouldn’t want to be doing what they’re doing today.” The remaining 10 % really love their jobs and make no distinction between working and playing.


 * Human-machine symbiosis is the workforce of the future.


 * A more well-rounded higher education is necessary to graduate more ethical hackers and fewer cybercriminals, more socially responsible leaders and fewer wolves of Wall Street.


 * Transhumanism is the most inclusive ideology for all ethnicities and races, the religious and atheists, conservatives and liberals, young and old.


 * Google cofounder Larry Page once broached the question: “Are people really focused on the right things?”


 * A transhumanist solution is to accelerate the research and development of smart guns and non-lethal weapons.


 * Transhumanists would invest in better infrastructure that can withstand hurricane, earthquakes, and natural or manmade disasters.


 * In time, robots will be more versatile and ubiquitous.


 * World peace is in the best interests of everyone. Protectionism is not an option in today’s global economy. Nationalism should not outweigh international cooperation.


 * As M said in the 2015 James Bond movie Spectre, “All the surveillance in the world can’t tell you what to do next. A license to kill is also a license not to kill.” America can exert its influence globally without resorting to war.


 * Transhumanists around the world are cooperating to mitigate existential threats to humankind.


 * Transhumanists are building the Tower of Babel not to challenge God but to better understand the universe and human beings created in God’s image.


 * Marc Goodman, global security advisor and futurist, spoke at the TEDGlobal 2012 in Edinburgh about his ominous warning: “If you control the code, you control the world. This is the future that awaits us.” First source code, then genetic code. Transhumanists are well aware of that danger and are highly respectful of individual freedom and privacy in the new era of total information awareness.


 * Given that the first manned Moon landing only had a 50 % chance of landing safely on the moon’s surface, it was an exemplary faith in technology and human spirit.


 * Let’s not give up on faith and the human spirit in accomplishing the impossible – world peace, universal rights, and human longevity to name a few.


 * The advancement of education and the advancement of society are absolutely synonymous. The causes of conflict can be eliminated only through the advancement of both.


 * As artificial intelligence continues to evolve into superintelligence, King Solomon's challenge will supersede the Turing test.

The Transhumanism Handbook, 2019

 * Modern humanity with some 5,000 years of recorded history has been experiencing growing pains, with no end in sight. It is high time for humanity to grow up and to transcend itself by embracing transhumanism.


 * To err is human, whether we are religious, atheist, or agnostic.


 * Everyone is using science and technology to enhance or to alter our body chemistry in order to stay healthy and be more in control of our lives. We are all transhumanists to varying degrees.


 * Had the early cavemen fought with atomic bombs instead of rocks and cattle bone clubs, the human species would have been extinct eons ago. With great power comes great responsibility.


 * Technological singularity is inevitable given the human nature to discover, create, and change the world that we live in.


 * Even a large majority of beautiful music, great literature, and wonderful work of arts depicts human suffering, injustice, fears, and unfulfilled desires.


 * All living things are recycled.


 * Whatever fortune or misfortune awaits in the subsequent reincarnations, a purgatory by definition does not last forever. We will be forced to either go backward to the Amish way of life devoid of technology or move forward to a transhumanist world embracing technology.


 * J. Robert Oppenheimer observed people’s reaction to the use of nuclear weapons and he said, “A few people laughed. A few people cried. Most people were silent.” If we keep silent and sit on the sidelines instead of speaking up and marching forward, human suffering will continue and inevitably escalate.


 * Ignorance and apathy will eventually lead to the annihilation of humanity if left unchecked.


 * Without collaboration and synergy among various communities and socioeconomic groups, democracy will eventually fail as it “wastes exhausts and murders itself,” in the words of America’s founding father John Adams.


 * Transhumanism will save democracy from its demise.


 * Whichever form of government that democracy will create in the future, the great American experiment will go down in history as the freest and the bravest in the land of the free and the home of the brave.


 * The Transhumanist Party aims to motivate and mobilize both female and male scientists and engineers to take on additional responsibilities as rational politicians. It does not mean replacing democracy with technocracy. It means that our government needs help in making the right policies and investing in science, health, and technology for the improvement of the human condition and the long-term survival of the human race.


 * Had Albert Einstein accepted the Israeli cabinet’s offer to become the country’s President in 1952, the Middle East would have been a very different place today because of Einstein’s commitment to pacifism.


 * The Transhumanist Party offers the most inclusive ideology for all ethnicities and races, the religious and the atheists, conservatives and liberals, the young and the old regardless of socioeconomic status, gender identity, or any other individual qualities.


 * Direct democracy benefits everyone as long as it does not drown out minority voices.


 * Greta Thunberg represents an increasing number of teens who are following the pattern of Melinda French Gates’ journey into philanthropy: “We were surprised, then we were outraged, then we were activated.”


 * Diversity and integration are also needed in science and technology. Pride and prejudice are obstacles to scientific advancements and truth seeking.


 * Transhumanism supports infinite diversity in infinite combinations from all ethnicities and races, the religious and the atheists, conservatives and liberals, the young and the old regardless of socioeconomic status, gender identity, or any other individual qualities.


 * Creationism and evolution are not mutually exclusive. In fact, the former gives rise to the latter.


 * God gives life to human beings who in turn give birth to artificial intelligence.


 * We are teaching AI software that will evolve into superintelligence; and superintelligence will in turn teach humankind and explain the Scriptures.


 * We can move a mountain from one place to another with our bare hands and a few shovels. It is only a matter of putting in the effort and the time. But we can speed things up by using dynamites and heavy machinery. As technology continues to accelerate, nothing is impossible.


 * Faith does not mean paying lip service. Faith requires commitment.


 * Given that the first manned Moon landing with Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969 only had a 50% chance of landing safely on the moon’s surface, it was an exemplary faith in technology and human spirit.


 * “Where there is no vision, the people perish.” (Proverbs 29:18) Christian transhumanists see science and technology as the key to bring lasting peace and hasten the Second Coming of Christ.


 * The biggest existential risk to humanity is humanity itself, unless human beings learn to coexist peacefully and help one another willingly.


 * “For many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) And the few are going to save the world.


 * The Amish are exempt from military service due to their belief in “non-resistance.” Why can’t humankind do the same in the name of peace, love, and freedom?


 * Conspiracy theories abound in many tragedies and injustices, but the greatest conspiracy of all is how human beings treat one another and other living things on Earth.


 * Dinosaurs, Neanderthals, and Denisovans did not evolve and adapt fast enough, and therefore they became extinct. Modus operandi or business as usual will doom the human race to mass extinction.


 * People are often being reactive instead of being proactive in reducing dangerous threats.


 * Nature is beautiful and calm, but it can also be violent and deadly in an astronomical scale.


 * The Great Flood in the Bible and other ancient texts is a grave warning to humankind, and yet very few people seem to care about global existential threat.


 * Man-made environmental disasters force nature’s hand to unleash its fury on humankind.


 * Transhumanism develops new survival technologies and promotes sound policies to save the Earth and its inhabitants from being destroyed by human activities and natural disasters.


 * Superheroes reflect our human desire to give meaning to our lives by protecting the innocents, upholding justice, and mitigating existential threats.


 * Humanity ought to be the shining light and roaring thunder that fills up the vastly empty and silent universe.


 * The real heroes are scientists who are protecting humans from deadly bacteria and viruses, astronomers and planetary defense teams who are watching the sky for Near-Earth Objects (NEOs), police and firefighters who risk their lives to protect people, teachers who toil to educate their students, parents who make sacrifices for their children, and volunteers who devote their time and energy to serve others.


 * Transhumanism empowers people to realize the full human potential.


 * Change is inevitable, and it is up to humankind to create a brave new world of utopia instead of dystopia, a heaven on earth instead of a living hell.


 * We cannot change the past even if we could go back in time. The fabric of space-time continuum may automatically correct anomalies caused by, say, a time traveler such that any ripple effects are short-lived.


 * A utopia or heaven on earth is a place where every would-be Mozart has access to a piano and violin before the age of five, where every would-be Beethoven is empowered to compose music in spite of deafness, where every individual can get quality education regardless of their socioeconomic status and place of residence, and where everyone is given good health and freedom to pursue their dreams.


 * There are many undiscovered Mozarts, Beethovens, Einsteins, Shakespeares, Lincolns, and Washingtons out there today who do not have the freedom or the opportunity to explore their talents due to economic, political, and other constraints.


 * As human beings, we have the responsibility to harness the immense human potential for good, not evil; for love, not hatred; and for peace, not war.


 * Transhumanism is the next logical step in the evolution of humankind, and it is the existential solution to the long-term survival of the human race.


 * To err is human. Yet it is a sign of how far computer science has come that to err is also artificially intelligent


 * Biologically inspired mechanisms will encourage deeper human-machine symbiosis as computers acquire more human intuitions in problem solving. Scientists and gamers will be working and playing side-by-side with intelligent machines as equals, not subordinates.


 * Human game players together with AI agents can create more powerful citizen scientists, resulting in more scientific discoveries.


 * Beauty can be so subjective that there is an age-old debate among philosophers quoting Rene Descartes’ “I think, therefore I am” versus George Berkeley’s “To be is to be perceived.”


 * From flying robot insects to running robot dog to humanoids such as the world’s first robot citizen Sophia, artificial life forms are populating the planet Earth; and some people are bound to find artificial life forms more attractive than natural life forms.


 * Within a period of 20 years, AI has gone from “it’s an extremely human move” described by world chess champion Garry Kasparov in 1996 to “it’s not a human move” opined by Go grandmaster Fan Hui in 2016. There will come a time when humans can no longer explain the decision-making process of a superintelligent computer.


 * What the Judgment of Solomon exemplifies is that wisdom trumps science and technology: Regardless of who the biological mother was—based on DNA test results, King Solomon recognized that the best mother would be the caring woman. Imagine an AI judge who is as wise as King Solomon!


 * People are afraid of AI partly because we see ourselves as imperfect and dangerous. Hence, our creation of AI can also be imperfect and dangerous.


 * A more well-rounded higher education is necessary to graduate more ethical hackers and fewer cybercriminals, more socially responsible leaders and fewer wolves of Wall Street, more gender equality and less sexism, and more open-mindedness and less discrimination.


 * Elon Musk is afraid that “if our intelligence is exceeded, it’s unlikely that we will remain in charge.” Perhaps humanity would be better off if humans were not in charge. Imagine a government being run by a supercomputer with superintelligence—effective, efficient, nonpartisan, nonracist, nonsexist, incorruptible, unbiased, resourceful, and available 24/7 to serve everyone of its citizens!


 * Humans may be on top of the food chain, but we are still at the mercy of earthquakes, tsunamis, tornadoes, volcano eruptions, and other natural disasters.


 * Like a good doctor, an intelligent machine is not something we should be afraid of. At best, AI will provide us the smartest teachers, advisers, personal assistants, doctors, police officers, judges, peacekeeping forces, and first responders for search and rescue operations. It may even help us to colonize other planets. At worst, it will put us on a leash to prevent ourselves from hurting one another and destroying the planet.


 * It may be true that superintelligence has nothing to do with human intelligence. However, superintelligence can be a new kind of intelligence that is more advanced than human intelligence.


 * With the help of AI in advancing our civilization, there may come the day when, as Nick Bostrom notes, we cannot be sure that we’re “not already in a machine”.


 * Super longevity is not the same as immortality. Sometimes one has to sacrifice super longevity in order to achieve immortality.


 * Albert Einstein achieved immortality, just like Socrates did. Life with a purpose leads to immortality.


 * The most meaningful toys are not materialistic at all. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart died penniless, but his toys were his symphonies, concertos, operas, quartets, and sonatas that have delighted millions of people for hundreds of years and will continue to light up the world.


 * Boredom often stems from the lack of desire to reinvent oneself. To become a Renaissance man or woman, for instance, can take an eternity. Understandably, not everyone wants to be a polymath, but there are so many great books to read, places to visit, ideas to share, new hobbies to discover, and charities to volunteer for – the bucket list is practically endless.


 * If Buddhism and Hinduism are correct, the extraordinary achievers who reach nirvana will never be reincarnated, whereas the less accomplished and less desirable humans are being reincarnated again and again—which would explain the never-ending suffering and ever-increasing evil in the world. No wonder Socrates’ last words in Plato’s Apology were “I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows.”


 * Life needs a meaning and living requires a purpose. Without meaning and purpose, are the livings really alive?


 * The meaning of life is manifested in many different ways—infinite diversity in infinite combinations.


 * The most precious thing that people can give to one another is not money but time.


 * If the meaning of life is futility, human longevity loses its luster.


 * Whether we live 10 years or 10,000 years, what matters most are the meaning of life and the quality of life.


 * Transhumanism seeks to achieve super longevity, not at the expense of others but rather helping others to fulfill their lifelong dreams.


 * Super longevity motivates people to think very long-term, protect the environment, recycle, prevent wars and destructions, and do everything possible to achieve a better quality of life instead of leaving a big mess to the next generation to fix.


 * Scientists are some of the most patient people in history. They can set up laboratory experiments that last for months, years, decades, and centuries.


 * Faith healers have gotten one thing right: the human body can detect and defeat all types of diseases including cancer—the second leading cause of death in America. Our mind and body are closely connected. But faith healers have neglected one important point: the complex human brain—created in the image of God—is meant to invent new technologies including medical treatments for our mind and body.


 * If humans are to colonize another planet, we better have a powerful immune system to protect us from deadly new pathogens. H.G. Wells’ novel The War of the Worlds reminds us that the invading Martians overpowered humans but were killed by earthly pathogens to which they had no immunity.


 * Is gene editing less ethical than human beings killing one another at wars and destroying wildlife on earth? A biomass study showed that humankind represents just 0.01% of all living things on the planet, and yet humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of all plants.

Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness (3rd Edition), 2022

 * Facebook Nation: Total Information Awareness (3rd Edition) (Springer Nature, February 2, 2022)


 * Social media does not incite violence. On the contrary, social media can be used to gauge public sentiments and to warn people of potential dangers.


 * Words are powerful, especially when emotions run high, which can lead to dire consequences.


 * Disinformation meant to deceive and mislead people quickly takes on a life of its own as ardent followers unwittingly spread misinformation; and misinformation proliferates like a multi-level marketing (MLM) scheme, benefiting mostly the one on top of the pyramid.


 * In the social media world of immediacy without proper fact checks, deepfakes and shallowfakes are only making it harder for the public to discern the difference between truth and error.


 * What we need is a more civilized free speech with respect and dignity.


 * The lack of concern for others—coupled with misinformation and disinformation—can be lethal.


 * Twitter amplifies both true and false information in real time, making it more constructive or destructive depending on the content.


 * Notwithstanding human ignorance spreading misinformation and disinformation, freedom of speech is essential.


 * All joking aside, misinformation and disinformation on social media are no laughing matter when it comes to national security and personal safety.


 * Is it possible to strike a balance between individual privacy and national security? The answer lies in social media where individuals and groups are willing to share information publicly, enabling government officials to collect and analyze data without warrant and constitutional violation.


 * Time after time, social media and the Internet are viewed as a serious threat to dictators and, conversely, a liberating platform for democracy.


 * Ethical policies are ideal, but results may vary depending on society’s moral compass.


 * Once the genie is out of the bottle, there is no easy way to stop the dissemination of leaked or stolen information.


 * Twitter enables people to help each other in real time, which can be more efficient and effective than any government services.


 * Long before reality TV and social media, Andy Warhol correctly predicted in 1968 that “in the future, everyone will be world-famous for 15 minutes.”


 * Until parents step up to the challenge of responsive parenting in the digital age, legislation may be necessary to keep an eye on social media platforms.


 * In the 20th century, multi-level marketing revolutionized direct selling. In the 21st century, social media is poised to revolutionize Wall Street.


 * The formidable power of social media can be both liberating and scary.


 * For better or worse, the digital world and the physical world are increasingly intertwined.


 * Social media such as Twitter takes crime fighting to the whole new level of immediacy.


 * Perhaps social media in finance should not encourage greed from ordinary people but it should foster a collective power to invest in something more meaningful for humanity, such as saving lives while making money.


 * The effectiveness of fact checks and warning labels may be overrated because not everyone heeds them. How often do we see grocery shoppers read the food labels on the items that they are browsing in supermarkets?


 * The popular anti-war slogan from the 1960’s says it best: “Make love, not war.”


 * History often repeats itself. For example, World War I and World War II. But rest assured that there are many people in all walks of life—likened to military officer Stanislav Petrov, activist Malala Yousafzai, and politician President Jimmy Carter—who are doing everything possible to prevent World War III.


 * Notwithstanding the potential risks of misinformation and the benefits of information sharing, the two-way street of Total Information Awareness is the road that leads to a more transparent and complete picture of ourselves, our governments, and our world.


 * Whether or not we embrace metaverse, humanity must learn to balance logic and emotion. Spock said in the 1982 Star Trek movie The Wrath of Khan: “Logic clearly dictates that the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.” But Kirk added in the 1984 sequel The Search for Spock: “The needs of the one... outweigh the needs of the many.” The two-way street of Total Information Awareness offers more benefits than risks in the massively connected world of Facebook Nation or Meta Universe.