[extropy-chat] Open and hidden fascism in Exi forum

[Technotranscendence]

On Saturday, June 26, 2004 10:47 AM Hubert Mania humania at t-online.de
wrote:
[big snip]
> Congratulations, Extropians. You have
> just won a new enemy. His name is:
>
> Hubert Mania

It's astounding to see you lumping all Extropians together because of
what Robert Bradbury says (and doesn't do).  Did you think, perhaps,
that some of us are silent because of the bandwidth problems?  Speaking
for myself, I haven't had time to read or join in the discussion.  If
indeed Robert is still advocating genocide to deal with terrorism -- and
this started, IIRC, soon after the 2001 attacks -- then I condemn that
aspect of him.  I also believe that genocide does not arise from
Extropianism per se -- not as understand it.

Of course, there's a wider issue here, which may have been covered by
others on the list, but I'm unaware of it.  This is that you need an
ethical moral basis to condemn genocide.  Sans such a basis, no
condemnation is possible beyond saying, "I personally don't like it."  I
approach this from an Objectivist-Aristotelean basis -- not that that's
the only ethical system compatible with Extropianism or with condemning
genocide.  (Granted, I personally don't like it either, but my point is
getting beyond personal preferences.)  However, I'm not sure a
simplistic utilitarianism can do the job.  In fact, it's my bet that
since utilitarianism per se does not preclude genocide or even killing
innocents -- even in non-emergency cases.

I qualify that with "per se" because utilitarianism is really a broad
collection of ethical stances and not a monolithic system.  I believe a
lot of intellectuals merely adopt it as a cover for their moral
preferences and don't really think systematically about these things.
It gives an easy formula to avoid deep thinking about ethical concerns.

Cheers!

Dan
http://uweb.superlink.net/neptune/MyWorksBySubject.html

"What a diff'rence a day makes
Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers
Where there used to be rain" -- from "What a Diff'rence a Day Makes" by
Dinah Washington