Prof. (Dr.) John Torday, a Developmental Physiologist from UCLA with a strong interest in how and why physiology has evolved, participates in Risk Roundup to talk about Enlightenment 2.0.
Beyond Arts and Science-Driven Enlightenment 1.0
While Enlightenment 1.0 (arts and sciences driven) began in the 17th century, humanity is now at a crossroads. Much of it seems to be due to the growing disconnect between leadership and self-serving agenda, science and activism, systems and sustainability, and more.
The world is witnessing not only the power struggle between the political ideologies, the geopolitics of the emerging technologies, the impact of technology transformation, globalists versus nationalists, culture warriors to climate warriors, changing nature of religion, and more. Unfortunately, the battle of ideas and ideologies is dividing not only citizens but also countries, leading to the rapid rise of pessimism and intolerance. Furthermore, dual-use technologies, the controlling communication power of social media, and the growing source of information are becoming a cause of great concern.
As seen across most nations, the systems at all levels are becoming increasingly divisive. The divisiveness is not just due to political ideologies but also due to changing models, globalization, and more. Interestingly, while the globalists are organized and prepared in the ongoing battle, the nationalists seem to be gathering momentum as well. So, who is winning the fight, should this be the battle, and where is humanity going?
It is crucial to understand that scientific knowledge has not been the only driver of political decision-making over the years. Cultural beliefs, emotions, self-interest, and values have all played their role in nations’ political discourse and decision-making that is increasingly becoming more divisive, complex, transnational, instrumentalized, agenda-driven, and short-sighted than ever, bringing into question the very nature of human existence.
The Growing Need For Purpose-Driven Enlightenment 2.0
Science has become a deductive practice, and the Enlightenment 1.0 that the western world enjoyed over the years is waning due to our lack of effort in understanding and focusing on the meaning of life. There is a need for a new approach to Enlightenment, to focus on an eastern knowledge and understanding of the essence of our existence and how our individual purpose ties into it.
To be specific, there is a need for revitalizing the dormant ancestral memory in each of us to provide guidance and clarity on what everyone should spend their time, energy, and focus on. Because to evolve our universe, we need to advance our ancestral lineage and have the means to remember and revitalize our ancestral memory. We need to understand our purpose, and we need to finish the work our ancestors started. It is where Enlightenment 2.0 should focus on.
Now is the time to discuss developing tools and technology to drive Enlightenment 2.0 to safeguard our individual and collective future!
For more, please watch the Risk Roundup Webcast or hear the Risk Roundup Podcast
About the Guest
Prof. John S. Torday is a Developmental Physiologist from UCLA based in the United States. His lung development career was launched four decades ago by the serendipitous finding that a simple molecule like cortisol could effectively accelerate fetal lung development. This phenomenon changed reproductive medicine overnight, reducing the preterm infant mortality rate from as high as 70% to nearly zero for preterm births. As a working scientist, this made no sense but was impossible to ignore- why should hormones have anything to do with the respiratory system? On the other hand, such chance findings are essentially the history of biomedical research. He thinks that such paradoxes prevail because we are using the wrong logic. He believes that making biology and medicine rational and predictive is by reducing cell biology evolution, as shown in his book Evolutionary Biology, Cell-Cell Communication, and Complex Disease.
About the Host of Risk Roundup
Jayshree Pandya (née Bhatt) is a leading expert at the intersection of science, technology, & security. She is a globally recognized futurist passionate about protecting the Future of Humanity. She serves in the C-Suite of leading emerging technology startups, actively applying her scientific background to designing systems. She has a Ph.D. in Microbiology for her 1986-1991 work on Hydrogen Production by Halobacterium halobium, for which she was also awarded a National Young Scientist Award in Biochemistry in 1988-89. In addition, she has done two postdoctoral fellowships, one at the University of Hawaii and another at the University of Chicago. She also did her Executive Education Program in Operations and Change Management at Rice University – Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Management in 2000 – 2001. She founded Risk Group LLC in 2002, which evolved into a Strategic Security Risk Research Organization, Platform, and Community in 2015. She is also the host of the influential Risk Roundup Podcast on a mission to talk to a million decision-makers. She has already conducted more than 260 one-to-one interviews with top decision-makers worldwide. She is now leading the global discussions on emerging technologies, technology transformation, and nation preparedness.
Her scientific research has contributed to more than 30 peer-reviewed articles in top international journals. Moreover, her research across many other domains has contributed to more than 100 publications and is pursued to provide strategic security solutions. She wrote for Forbes in 2019-2020 and now writes regularly for Risk Group. In addition, she has published three Strategic Security Risk Reports and three books, The Global Age, The Quantum Threat, and Geopolitics of Cybersecurity. She is an invited speaker on emerging technologies, technology transformation, digital disruption, and strategic security risks from the National Science Foundation to leading organizations in the United States, Europe, and Asia. She can be reached at + (832) 971 8322 and followed on Twitter @jayshreepandya and LinkedIn @drjayshreepandya.
About Risk Roundup
Risk Roundup, a global initiative launched by Risk Group, is a security risk reporting for risks emerging from existing and emerging technologies, technology convergence, and transformation happening across cyberspace, aquaspace, geospace, and space. Risk Roundup is released in audio (Podcast) and video (Webcast) formats. It is available for subscription on the Risk Group Website, iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher Radio, Android, and Risk Group Professional Social Media.
About Risk Group
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