[extropy-chat] VP Summit - Press Release - Comments Please!

[Robert J. Bradbury]

Max and Damien have had some discussion with respect to significant
philosophical perspectives...

Lets look at:
> >I suppose it's impossible or at least very hard to convince you to leave out
> >cult-sounding brand-positioning phrases such as `our extropic goals'.

For myself personally there is not really any "our".  Extropic goals
are extropic goals -- nobody can lay claim to them other than perhaps
by pointing them out (e.g. hey -- "XYZZY is an extropic goal).

The goal (state of existence) was present whether or not it
had previously been pointed out or "claimed".  Though it is
certainly more useful for existence states to be visible
rather than invisible.

Now where extropic and transhumanistic thought in general
may be failing to fulfill it potential may be with respect
to the detailed analysis of where actions or priorities
may be distinctly unextropic.

So we have Sunday mornings.  Most extropians sit at home
enjoying their brunch.  Why are they not down at the
local religious institution handing out flyers questioning
the basic premise that "thou shalt not bear false witness
against thy neighbor" (the 9th commandment) which would
seem to doom any argument that christianity has some
prior claim against non-christian (or extropic) perspectives.

So once one tosses out the faith based perspectives then
one has the freedom to argue rationality.

The trick with "extropic goals" is to figure out what is really
going to move us in that direction.  I can promote genetic
technologies that increase our general knowledge base.  I
can also point out technologies that would limit that knowledge
base to a few narrowly educated individuals.

"Extropic goals" can be limiting.  (Information can be abused.)
It remains to be seen how one defines extropic or transhumanistic
perspectives such that it leads to an increasingly complex
evolutionary path.  (I know there are elements of this in
previous discussions -- so my comments should be viewed as
reflections near term (narrower) viewpoints.)

Robert