[extropy-chat] TechnologyReview joins anti-transhumanists

[Mike Lorrey]

--- Dirk Bruere <dirk at neopax.com> wrote:

> Aubrey de Grey wrote:
> 
> >That's nothing -- check out the accompanying commentaries:
> >
> >http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/02/issue/editor.asp
> >
>http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/05/02/issue/readme_aging.asp
> >
> Sounds like Britain's view of hitech when I was at research labs in
> the late 70s.

I had an exchange of email with the editor. He responded to my
characterization of his attitude toward transcendance, when I said,
"I'm sorry, but you are inappropriately appropriating transcendance for
your own personal, narrow, political/religious agenda. Transcendance
happens where people find it, wherever they find significantly
different and/or self-altering meaning in life. Finding it in real
world technology seems far more non-fictional, rational, and real, than
in the way many people find it, in that anthology of historical fiction
known as.... The Bible."

He replied, "Yes, I am saying that merely because some one says an
experience is "transcendental" does not really make it so. To be
changed by an experience doesn't mean we have transcended ourselves in
any meaningful way. 

At least that's my opinion.

By the way, you're mistaken if you think (as I believe you hint) that I
am a Christian or politically right wing. On the contrary, I am an
atheist and fairly conventionally liberal. As I think I say in my
column, "We are alone with ourselves.""

He couldn't reply to the question of, if he is an atheist, and doesn't
believe in anything religious, he could claim in any way that someone
else's experience wasn't transcendental "enough". Enough for who?

I noted that I regarded atheists as much orthodox religionists as any
christian, given the paradox of proving a negative.


=====
Mike Lorrey
Vice-Chair, 2nd District, Libertarian Party of NH
"Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom.
It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves."
                                      -William Pitt (1759-1806) 
Blog: http://www.xanga.com/home.aspx?user=Sadomikeyism


		
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