ABSTRACT
A thought experiment will serve to introduce a very troubling issue: A benevolent and powerful super-species on a many light-years distant exoplanet, with minds and technologies above human comprehension, monitors developments on Earth. They detected the nuclear explosions in 1945, studied the climate changes caused by humanity, and examined human passions and their interactions with science and technology. Recognizing that humanity is also capable of outstanding creativity and a modicum of impressive altruism, the super-species decides to protect humanity from itself and prevent looming species suicide. Future-benders in the contemporary world are a mixed lot. They include thinkers and authors, celebrities, mass-media moguls, the very rich, corporate executives, scientists and inventors, entrepreneurs, social actors, Twitterers and bloggers, scholars, politicians, military commanders, spiritual leaders and more. Many scientists and technologists are also likely to be biased in favor of developing and using more science and technology, even when constraints are needed on development of dangerous knowledge and tools.
