Alautun Press |
Alautun Press |
What people are saying"Beautiful! Wiley portrays a galaxy-spanning civilization in which people are computerized and immortal, transmitting their self-patterns in and out of simulations, as well as branching their minds to travel between stars. But we see a culture stymied by the unsolvability of consciousness and horrified by the end of the universe. Inspiring philosophical fiction!"
—ERIC KLIEN • President, Lifeboat Foundation
"A unique vision of humanity's future. Wiley has created a world in which technology and biology are indistinguishable and people travel between the stars as beamed data streams. Consciousness itself has become the predominant curiosity, while survival has become the primary concern in a universe fated to die. A beautiful story of commitment and quest, both personal and societal."
—ZOLTAN ISTVAN • Founder, the Transhumanist Party and Author of The Transhumanist Wager
"Contemplating Oblivion is the rare science fiction novel that imagines a truly posthuman future, where technology has transformed the nature of the mind and self. Wiley combines hard science and profound philosophy to grapple with the ultimate existential challenges that advanced civilizations may face. Prepare for an awe-inspiring adventure exploring the co-evolution of intelligence and technology."
—JAMES J. HUGHES PHD • Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies • Author, Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future
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Available in print from:
Available in Kindle and Kindle Unlimited from:
Sometimes available in ebook from these (but sometimes removed due to Amazon Kindle Unlimited restrictions): Audiobook coming fall, 2024 |
What people are saying"A beautiful exploration of the of future minds and consciousnesses. It will give you deep appreciation for the gift of conscious experience and a new perspective on humanity, technology, and our individual futures and collective future in the universe."
—JOHN SMART • CEO, Foresight U. • Founder, Evo-Devo Institute • Vice President & Co-Founder, Brain Preservation Foundation
"A spectacular vision of the far future, in which the functioning of the mind is separated from the substrate of the brain, enabling light-speed interstellar travel and wild explorations of consciousness. Wiley depicts a society consumed with curiosity about the nature of consciousness, but also vexed by existential angst over the end of the universe, when even the immortals will perish."
—RANDAL KOENE PHD • Founder & CEO of Carboncopies.org • Founder of Minduploading.org • past Director of the Department of Neuroengineering at Tecnalia
"The opening sentence in the introduction in Keith Wiley's latest book, Contemplating Oblivion, immediately draws the reader in – 'This is a story about people who have long ago computerized their brains, which is commonly called mind uploading'. Succinctly written, sometimes challenging and complex but more often thought-provoking, it is not only an engaging and deeply moving sci-fi novel but also an important contribution to the ongoing discussions on the nature of consciousness and mind-uploading. I highly recommend it!"
—RICHARD BRIGHT • Editor, Interalia Magazine
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What people are saying |
"Beautiful! Wiley portrays a galaxy-spanning civilization in which people are computerized and immortal, transmitting their self-patterns in and out of simulations, as well as branching their minds to travel between stars. But we see a culture stymied by the unsolvability of consciousness and horrified by the end of the universe. Inspiring philosophical fiction!"
—ERIC KLIEN • President, Lifeboat Foundation
"A unique vision of humanity's future. Wiley has created a world in which technology and biology are indistinguishable and people travel between the stars as beamed data streams. Consciousness itself has become the predominant curiosity, while survival has become the primary concern in a universe fated to die. A beautiful story of commitment and quest, both personal and societal."
—ZOLTAN ISTVAN • Founder, the Transhumanist Party and Author of The Transhumanist Wager
"Contemplating Oblivion is the rare science fiction novel that imagines a truly posthuman future, where technology has transformed the nature of the mind and self. Wiley combines hard science and profound philosophy to grapple with the ultimate existential challenges that advanced civilizations may face. Prepare for an awe-inspiring adventure exploring the co-evolution of intelligence and technology."
—JAMES J. HUGHES PHD • Executive Director, Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies • Author, Citizen Cyborg: Why Democratic Societies Must Respond to the Redesigned Human of the Future
"A beautiful exploration of the of future minds and consciousnesses. It will give you deep appreciation for the gift of conscious experience and a new perspective on humanity, technology, and our individual futures and collective future in the universe."
—JOHN SMART • CEO, Foresight U. • Founder, Evo-Devo Institute • Vice President & Co-Founder, Brain Preservation Foundation
"A spectacular vision of the far future, in which the functioning of the mind is separated from the substrate of the brain, enabling light-speed interstellar travel and wild explorations of consciousness. Wiley depicts a society consumed with curiosity about the nature of consciousness, but also vexed by existential angst over the end of the universe, when even the immortals will perish."
—RANDAL KOENE PHD • Founder & CEO of Carboncopies.org • Founder of Minduploading.org • past Director of the Department of Neuroengineering at Tecnalia
"The opening sentence in the introduction in Keith Wiley's latest book, Contemplating Oblivion, immediately draws the reader in – 'This is a story about people who have long ago computerized their brains, which is commonly called mind uploading'. Succinctly written, sometimes challenging and complex but more often thought-provoking, it is not only an engaging and deeply moving sci-fi novel but also an important contribution to the ongoing discussions on the nature of consciousness and mind-uploading. I highly recommend it!"
—RICHARD BRIGHT • Editor, Interalia Magazine
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From the book jacket |
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Qualia: the quality or feeling of a conscious experience. Qualia can't be described, they must be experienced to be known. A million years in the future, physics is closed. Humanity has computerized the brain, solved death, and spread across the galaxy. The greatest challenge that remains is figuring out how a quadrillion immortal, nearly omnipotent humans might survive the eventual end of the universe.
Lysandra is a million-year-old quale-diver, a person who designs novel neural configurations in search of new conscious experiences—qualia. When she discovers a conscious state that hints at a solution to the universe-survival problem, the entire galaxy erupts with renewed excitement and hope. The final question to end all questions might be on the brink of a solution. But there are those who believe that surviving the end of the universe will destabilize the timeless cycle of infinite universes, leading to eternal oblivion, and they will stop at nothing to prevent Lysandra from completing her work. |
Promotional video trailer (Direct link) |
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Interview about the book on Adam Ford's Science, Technology & the Future (Direct link) |
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Unboxing video (Direct link) |
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