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Lifeboat Foundation

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The Lifeboat Foundation is a non-profit organization aiming to reduce existential risks (WP) to ensure the survival of human civilization. It focuses on both natural and man-made threats by initiating a variety of programs and undertakings on its website. The foundation seeks to inform the public of the dangers of increasingly powerful technologies, including genetic (Wikipedia:genetic engineering) and Wikipedia:nanoengineering.[1] The misuse of such technologies by only a few individuals, it argues, could produce devastating results. It maintains a system—called GETAS—for alerting the public about changes in existential threat levels. It also has in its mission to encourage scientific and technological advancement. In the long run, the Lifeboat Foundation is promoting the establishment of self-sufficient space colonies to help preserve human society.

The foundation was created by American entrepreneur Eric Klien shortly after the terrorist attacks of September 11. It has several Programs and its Advisory Boards include over 1000 scientists and specialists. Lifeboat Foundation sponsors conferences, competitions, and research grants. It is funded entirely through membership dues (as of 19 November 2010: 1 232) and donations (as of 19 November 2010: 249) by individuals and corporations.[2]

Left-click to see original, larger, image file. Conceptual artwork: Stanford torus under construction


Mission[edit]

In its mission statement on the lifeboat website, the organization states it is "dedicated to encouraging scientific advancements while helping humanity survive existential risks and possible misuse of increasingly powerful technologies, including genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and robotics/AI, as we move towards the Singularity." As part of its mission statement, the website indicates it is "pursuing a variety of options, including helping to accelerate the development of technologies to defend humanity, including new methods to combat viruses (such as RNA interference and new vaccine methods), effective nanotechnological defensive strategies, and even self-sustaining space colonies in case the other defensive strategies fail."[1]

History[edit]

Origins[edit]

Founder Eric Klien's interest in Libertarian principles led him in 1993 to start the Atlantis Project: "to build a floating city in the Caribbean Sea that would be free of the bureaucratic limitations of modern governments". The city was to be called Oceania.[3] The project was eventually abandoned due to lack of funding.[4]

The September 11th attacks led Klien to found a humanitarian organization "bent on the preservation of human life, against all odds".[5] The Lifeboat Foundation was established as a permanent nonprofit organization in October, 2002. Several of those who previously worked on The Atlantis Project joined the new foundation. The Lifeboat Foundation has steadily grown in its membership, financial position, and public exposure since its inception.

Guardian Award[edit]

The Guardian Award is presented annually by the Lifeboat foundation to "a respected scientist or public figure who has warned of a future fraught with dangers and encouraged measures to prevent them".[6] The following persons have received a Guardian award:

Conferences[edit]

The Lifeboat Foundation has co-hosted and sponsored conferences related to its mission. It cosponsored the Global Catastrophic Risks summit in Mountain View, CA.,[13] and the June 2010 H+ Summit.[14] The foundation was also media sponsor for the 2009 Singularity Summit in New York City[15]

Structure[edit]

The Lifeboat Foundation is structured with advisory boards, a board of directors, and a general staff. The board of directors includes founder Eric Klien as chairman, and four other directors; the advisory boards comprise a diversity of societal and scientific specialists; and the staff had 21 employees on November 12, 2010.[16][17] The foundation also has a technology research department that is charged with tracking new technological developments. The Lifeboat Foundation intends to operate as an umbrella organization; in case of growth, it plans on funding larger research grants and prizes rather than hiring more employees.[18]

Advisory Boards[edit]

The organization has formed advisory boards consisting of over 1000 specialists in various disciplines. Board members develop programs, or propose new areas in which the Lifeboat Foundation should be involved.[19]

There are also over a dozen Scientific Advisory Boards (SABs). The SABs are specifically focused on scientific questions, such as Wikipedia:cosmology and Wikipedia:neuroscience. Some of the SABs are dedicated to more technical fields like economics and information science. They comprise scientists from around the world, including Nobel Prize winners Clive Granger and Wole Soyinka.[19]

Finances[edit]

The Lifeboat Foundation is funded by donations and membership fees. Donations can go to either the general fund or a specific fund. The general fund is called the Lifeboat Fund and its website states a value of US$ 466,394.62 on October 29, 2010.[2]

Activities[edit]

GETAS[edit]

The Global Existential Threat Advisory System (GETAS) is the mechanism the Lifeboat Foundation uses to disseminate information about current existential threats. GETAS consists of five threat levels plus an emergency condition. The levels are designed to be cumulative; that is, the recommended precautions of each level build on those of lower levels. The current GETAS condition is displayed on the Lifeboat Foundation's website, and visitors can subscribe to receive email notifications if the level changes.

The goal of the warnings is to "to create a common vocabulary, context, and structure for an ongoing international, global discussion about the nature of the threats that confront our species on planet Earth and the appropriate measures that should be taken in response."[20] The system uses the internet to communicate rapidly to subscribers.

GETAS levels are set by "the Executive Director of the Lifeboat Foundation in consultation with the Scientific Advisory Boards".[20] The levels (and the explanations given by the Lifeboat foundation website) are as follows:

  • "The low threat condition calls for only the most basic of protective measures. Since the creation of GETAS, the Lifeboat Foundation has not yet issued a low threat condition. Typical measures under a low threat condition include training Lifeboat personnel in GETAS procedures and maintaining Lifeboat facilities in a disaster-ready condition."[20]
  • "The guarded condition is declared when there is a general underlying risk of existential catastrophe. Under a guarded condition, the foundation will post any information that would aid in responding to potential disasters. Recommendations during a guarded threat level are similar to the common-sense recommendations provided by government agencies."[20]
  • "An elevated threat condition is issued when significant events point to a heightened state of risk. Since the beginning of GETAS, Lifeboat has raised the threat level to elevated only twice. For example, when North Korea detonated a nuclear device in 2006 (Wikipedia:2006 North Korean nuclear test), it raised global political tension and prompted the Lifeboat Foundation to declare an elevated threat condition."[20]
  • "The high threat level would require significant coordination between organizations at the local, national, and supranational level to address risks." (never declared) [20]
  • "The severe condition reflects an extreme global risk—the justification for this threat level should be a very clear event somewhere in the world. This level is not intended to remain in effect for a substantial amount of time. The Lifeboat Foundation would be primarily focused on coordinating emergency response efforts, closing public facilities and transportation systems, and preparing evacuations."[20] (never declared)
  • "An emergency condition indicates the occurrence of an existential catastrophe. At this point, the priority of the foundation would be to preserve human civilization. Lifeboat Foundation bunkers would be switched to autonomous power and hermetically sealed off from the outside world. Space evacuees would be launched to their designated space arks." (not yet declared)[20]


Programs[edit]

The Lifeboat Foundation's website states programs to help assess and reduce existential risks. "Shield" programs are attempts to explicitly identify and mitigate threats posed by misuse of a particular technology. Examples include:

  • AsteroidShield, aiming at detecting and altering the trajectory of asteroids and comets on a collision course with Earth, thus avoiding impact events.[21]
  • BioShield, aiming at preventing and countering the effects of attacks with biological agents.[22]
  • Space Habitats, designing and encouraging the technology for human colonies in space. The organization's website mentions design on a habitat called Ark 1, a "self-sustaining space habitat being designed to ensure the survival of humanity in the event Earth becomes uninhabitable".[23]


See also[edit]

External links[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Mission Statement. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-17.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Finances. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-10-29.
  3. ↑ Eric Klien. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-01.
  4. ↑ Final Words. The Atlantis Project. URL accessed on 2010-11-01.
  5. ↑ Eric Klien. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 22 November 2010.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 2010 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  7. ↑ 2004 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  8. ↑ 2005 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  9. ↑ 2006 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  10. ↑ 2007 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  11. ↑ 2008 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  12. ↑ 2009 Guardian Award. Lifeboat Foundation.
  13. ↑ Global Catastrophic Risks: Building a Resilient Civilization. Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies. URL accessed on 2010-11-01.
  14. ↑ H+ Summit @ Harvard. 2010 H+ Summit. URL accessed on 2010-11-01.
  15. ↑ Overview. The Singularity Summit. URL accessed on 2010-11-01.
  16. ↑ About. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-12.
  17. ↑ Staff. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-12.
  18. ↑ procedures. Lifeboat foundation. URL accessed on 22 November 2010.
  19. ↑ 19.0 19.1 Advisory Boards. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-18.
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 20.5 20.6 20.7 Global Existential Threat Advisory System (GETAS). Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-06.
  21. ↑ Asteroid Shield. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 20 November 2010.
  22. ↑ BioShield. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 2010-11-16.
  23. ↑ Space habitats. Lifeboat Foundation. URL accessed on 20 November 2010.
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