[extropy-chat] The end of work,the leisure society,and automation

[Colin Magee]

               I am interested in the concept of a leisure society and was 
wondering if anyone knew of any major thinkers,researchers,or think tanks 
exploring this concept and the cultural,economic,psychological,and political 
ramifications of this idea.I prepared a short list of items I've read on 
this topic and was wondering if someone could point me in the direction of 
similar thinkers:
1.)F.M. Esfandiary/F.M.2030--"Upwingers", "Are You A Transhuman?", and 
"Telespheres"
2.)James Hughes-- "The Politics of Transhumanism"-in a section titled "Pro 
Automation Post Work Utopias" he mentions Andre Gorz -"who has been 
promoting a political program for 25 years that embraces automation and the 
expansion of the social wage." He also mentions that-"the movement for 
universal basic income(Lerner,1994) has been growing in Europe and the 
United States"
3.)Hans Moravec-"Robot-Mere Machine to Transcendent Mind"
4.)Robert Theobald-haven't read any of his stuff yet,but I understand he 
supports this idea
5.)Marvin Minsky-In a book called "Closer To Truth" he briefly mentions that 
when computers acquire commonsense reasoning humans won't have to work
6.)Issac Asimov-"The Tyrannosaurus Prescription" has an essay in it 
discussing this
7.)Arthur C.Clarke-"Greetings Carbon Based Bipeds"
8.)Jacque Frescoe-haven't read any of his stuff,but it was suggested to me 
in an email from Mark Plus
9.)Grant Fjermedal-"The Tomorrow Makers"-in that book he mentions a book by 
James S.Albus called
"People's Capitalism:The Economics of the Robot Revolution"
10.)Buckminster Fuller-"Critical Path"
11.)James Wm.Lewis-"Robotopia-Everything is Free and No One Works"
12.)The Foresight Institute-I believe there was en essay on this site which 
discussed the ramifications nanotechnology will have on work,but 
unfortunately I misplaced the essay
13.)Eric Drexler-If I recall he discusses this issue in "Engines of 
Creation"
14.)Robert Anton Wilson-"The Illuminati Papers"-discusses the idea of the 
"RICH Economy" (Rising income through cybernetic homeostasis) developed by 
L.Wayne Benner,Timothy Leary,and Robert Anton Wilson
I hope this list wasn't too long! I am particulary interested in the ideas 
of F.M.Esfandiary/F.M. 2030 on this issue and was wondering if anybody knew 
of any thinkers today influenced by his ideas of leisure.I appreciate 
anyone's ideas,feedback,etc.



                                                                             
                      Sincerely,
                                                                             
                      Colin

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