[extropy-chat] First reactions to transhumanism

[MB]

Unfortunately my French is too weak to read this. :(

However... I've had an interesting time on another list. Someone
posted that rant of Fukyama's (sp?) and then started to attack
transhumanism as being elitist and racist and dangerous.

I commented that I'd personally like to see some adjustments - for my
kids/grandkids as IMO it's too late for me - regarding age related eye
sight degeneration, tooth troubles, joint troubles, hearing loss.
Nobody has argued against that. In fact now some of the older
ones (40ish) have chatted up the possibilities of not just "exterior
tech" but gene tech for fixing this kind of thing. Now.

They want it for themselves, which generally means exterior tech. And
they want it for their kids, which likely involves gene tech. :)

IMO we've got to touch where people are. I mentioned CATscans and MRIs
- how exclusive they were just a few years ago, but now everybody
knows someone who's had one. Hip joint replacements, knee
replacements, transplants. Are our friends less human or transhuman
because of these? So much for the "racist" and "elitist" criticism.

I just let it roll. In fact, they're moving on to new topics, as the
subject of transhumanism has been opened and found to be, in truth,
relatively non-threatening. :)

Of course there's more, and of deeper complexity, but the fear factor
dropped considerably. Nobody was against living a longer better life.

I've offered them that link Amara sent about the stem cell cure.


Regards,
MB



On Fri, 17 Sep 2004, Giu1i0 Pri5c0 wrote:

> The Canadian online magazine VOIR offers a debate between a
> transhumanist and a neoluddite, for French speakers to enjoy. The most
> interesting thing is reading the many comments left by readers, many
> of whom apparently had not been exposed to transhumanism befor. It is
> I believe a useful lesson that can be used for better marketing to see
> the range of first reactions to transhumanism.
> Besides preaching to the converted on our lists, we should also engage
> in debates and defend transhumanism on other lists: again, not only
> arguing politics on transhumanist fora, but also arguing transhumanism
> on political fora.