Thursday, 27 August 2026 at 17:00
Ye Olde Cock Taverne (Holborn), 22 Fleet Street, EC4Y 1AA
This London Futurists in the Pub gathering will be exploring the strengths and weaknesses of the technoprogressive worldview. That worldview rests on two fundamental principles: 1. Pay serious attention to the profound transformative potential of emerging technologies 2. Recognise the deep social factors behind flourishing: culture, institutions, power structures, narratives, and more The first of these principles rejects ideas that future flourishing will be at best a modest step-up from what people have experienced in the past or the present. The second of these principles rejects atomistic or individualist conceptions of human experience and flourishing, On that basis, the technoprogressive worldview proposes commitments in three categories: • *Shared ethical commitments* in support of a plurality of concepts of sustainable flourishing, with no-one excluded • *Shared epistemic commitments* about evidence, uncertainty, prediction, and correction • *Shared governance commitments* about accountability, concentrated power, and reversibility What are the strengths of this worldview? How can it be fleshed out into practical policy suggestions? What are its potential blindspots? These are the starting points for our informal discussion on Thursday 27th August in the upstairs room at Ye Olde Cock Tavern in Fleet Street. == Schedule == 5:30pm: The room is available, for early get-togethers 6pm-6:15pm: A chance for everyone to order drinks (and food, if you wish) 6:15pm-7:15pm: David Wood leads a group discussion about the technoprogressive worldview 7:15pm: Another opportunity to visit the bar 7:30pm-8:30pm: Other attendees have the chance to offer their views, on the main topic or related ideas or news items 8:30pm: Informal networking == RSVP please == Registrations are capped at 35 people. *First-time attendees are welcome.* There's no charge to register or attend, but the pub will expect everyone to order at least one drink, and a reasonable number of attendees to order some food to eat. == Some background reading == See the online essay "Design commitments for trustworthy technoprogressive governance". For the idea behind the spiral in the image, see the note at the end of this Luma page. == More about the venue == Ye Olde Cock Tavern, 22 Fleet Street, Holborn, London, EC4Y 1AA See https://www.greeneking.co.uk/pubs/greater-london/ye-olde-cock-tavern We'll be meeting in the room at the top of the stairs, though drinks and food should be ordered from the bar on the ground floor. \*\* Note that this is an in-person meeting, and there will be no remote access, sorry \*\*
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