[extropy-chat] A Call to Arms in the War of Evolution and an Inquiry about SMI2LE

[Diego Caleiro]

 Hello Brian, and any other young transhumanist who likes this list because of 
the many intelligent, experts and discussion-likers we can find here.

 I  know how does it feel to have less than 6 people to help your thinking, 
and extropy chat is a very good place to advance our theories of any kind, as 
I have discovered on this last few months in which I have been here. Sometime 
ago I have posted a liberal decalogue on wta-talk (another discussion group) 
that I think all young people here should apreciate, but before, I'd like to 
post some of my views on your text.
 
 You seemed to be very metaphysical in some assumptions, like if you had a 
purpose to beleive that there is something really metaphysical within the 
governance of the universe. This appears when you use the subjective idea of 
positive and negative things, and in the idea of a universal purpose. Both 
positive and negative are not metaphysical entities, they are just logical 
fictions we made up for the sake of argument. Purpose is something that is 
less fictional than positive and negative. Still, purpose is something that 
can be atributted only to conscious beings, and there is no sense into 
stablish a direct conection between survival of the fittest and purpose, or 
between greater complexity and purpose. Both survival of the fittest and 
greater complexity do not need any "desire" to appear, they are only the 
consequences of our universe history.
 
 Also, you seemed to distorce the significance of survival of the fittest. 
First, you have said that there is a survival of the fittest that makes the 
universe rearranges itself in greater orders of complexity, and that this 
greater order of complexity lead us to power. You seem to beleive that 
something which is the fittest is better, or something which is more complex 
is better than a simpler thing. Therefore, you gathered 
good = Survival of the fittest 
survival of the fittest -> complexity -> power 
so
power = good

 The fittest is not always good, as you can see by the catholic philosophy 
domination of the world, and power is not also good by essence, any 
dictadorship shows you that. 

 Endorsing power like this is not exactly usefull, and trying to achieve power 
is not the purpose of our lifes, only one of our evolutional characteristics.   

 About the fields you proposed yourself to study, I beleive that it is also 
important to study mathematical probablility, and psychology. 


 Beck to the beggining here is the Liberal Decalogue I beleive all young 
extropians should read, before they get psychologically narrow in their 
thinking freeness. 

A Liberal Decalogue
 Perhaps the essence of the Liberal outlook could be summed up in a new 
decalogue, not intended to replace the old one but only to supplement it. The 
Ten Commandments that, as a teacher, I should wish to promulgate, might be 
set forth as follows: 

1. Do not feel absolutely certain of anything. 

2. Do not think it worth while to proceed by concealing evidence, for the 
evidence is sure to come to light. 

3. Never try to discourage thinking for you are sure to succeed. 

4. When you meet with opposition, eve n if it should be from your husband or 
your children, endeavor to overcome it by argument and not by authority, for 
a victory dependent upon authority is unreal and illusory. 

5. Have no respect for the authority of others, for there are always contrary 
authorities to be found. 

6. Do not use power to suppress opinions you think pernicious, for if you do 
the opinions will suppress you.

 7. Do not fear to be eccentric in opinion, for every opinion now accepted was 
once eccentric.

 8. Find more pleasur e in intelligent dissent that in passive agreement, for, 
if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper 
agreement than the latter.

 9. Be scrupulously truthful, even if the truth is inconvenient, for it is 
more inconvenient when you try to conceal it. 

10. Do not feel envious of the happiness of those who live in a fool's 
paradise, for only a fool will think that it is happiness.

for the sake of the 4th commandment, I supressed the author name. 
 
may physics be with you 

Diego (Log At)



" Free will is as much an invention as are Gods, Religions and Metaphisical 
souls. They are nothing but the results of the constant desire of the human 
being to be more important than he really is"   --  myself .







Em Sexta 21 Janeiro 2005 21:11, Brian Campbell escreveu:
> A Call to Arms in the War of Evolution
>
> and an Inquiry Concerning Aspects of Knowledge Specific to Leary's SMI2LE
> Theory
>
> A Call to Arms in the War of Evolution
>
> I choose here to speak my mind because I am finding it more and more
> difficult to discuss and advance my theories. I know less than 6 people who
> are interested and advanced enough to really stimulate my mind. Revelations
> are becoming fewer and further between ever passing day and i grow more and
> more bored. I know of no better place to find the stimulation i need than
> here. I seek your knowledge and wisdom. I have read the extropy chat and
> have been really apprehensive about posting because i fear rejection by
> those older and more intelligent thinkers whom i respect so much. I would
> ask u try to look over my grammar errors. I have tried my best to make this
> as legible as possible. Now on with the show.
>
> I seek to absorb all the knowledge i can, process it , and spread it too
> all that are interested. I seek knowledge in every form I can, from
> writings of all kinds, experience (my own and anyone else's who chooses to
> share), and conversations/debates. I take in this information , process it
> based on my previous info, and use it as much as I can to further my
> understanding of the nature of everything. I share all I know in hopes of
> getting feedback on alternate points of view, flaws in my theories, and/or
> new connections/possibilities. This is the meaning of my life. I tell u
> this here because it is the most meaningful thing I can see in life and in
> hopes that someone reading this will be inspired or at the very least that
> this will get them to thinking. I am what Leary calls an Intelligence
> Agent, and this is my call to arms.
>
> In my opinion, (as everything i say is, of course. so i wont bother stating
> this further) the purpose of all things in our known universe is to evolve.
> Our universe is a system, not unlike an exponentially more large and
> complex computer than those we have created. It is a self-evolving system
> based on some fundamental rules. As the system gets more complex, there is
> much more potential in the system for positivity and negativity (in this
> case just think of it as simply evolution and de-evolution respectively, as
> i don't feel this is the time or place to go further into my theories on
> chaotic positivity and negativity). This increase in positive/negative
> potential cannot be avoided. It is the reward/cost of evolution.
>
> All things go through the process of the metaphysical trinity (dynamism,
> stasis, entropy, and back to dynamism). This process ensures that all
> things grow until they reach a barrier or limit of some kind (current
> technology or information, for instance). They then break down when a new
> possibility becomes available (certain old aspects in favor of new
> "potentially" better aspects, survival of the fittest, if u will) allowing
> for further growth and expansion.
>
> The universe has reached a point were it has created a system advanced
> enough for creative/ complex thought and a free will beyond anything else
> we currently know of (a stage in which the universe "computer" has created
> AI). Being the most advanced (as far as we know) system in this universe we
> have been given the greatest power for change (by system here I mean the
> human race). Our job (our meaning of life) is to further the evolution of
> all we can. We will do this one way or the other, consciously or not.The
> question is do u actively participate (to greatly speed up the evolution)
> or do u passively ride the chaos at the whim of whoever/whatever chooses to
> act upon u ? This is a question of power. Do u control or be controlled?Are
> u a shepherd or a sheep? Do you blissfully sleep or take active part in the
> greatest adventure of our times? Of course, thats only my 2 cents. Take it
> as u will.
>
>
>
> An Inquiry Concerning Aspects of Knowledge Specific to Leary's SMI2LE
> Theory
>
>
>
> I am requesting your help to further SMI2LE (SM= space migration, I2=
> intelligence increase, LE= life expectancy ). I have made a list of the
> areas of study that i feel would be most beneficial to the I2 and LE parts
> (the 2 of most interest to myself) . I was hoping to get your opinions and
> any info u know on the subjects as it relates to SMI2LE or resources
> (online preferably) where I could find the info for myself. I am
> researching this because i want to eventually get into one of these areas
> as a career so i can do my best to further SMI2LE. Here is my list with
> brief details on the parts of the field i find most important. Thank you in
> advance for any comments/help u may offer.
>
> 1) Biochemistry (the cell-chemical relations inside the human body)
>
> 2) Neurology (structure and development on the cellular level)
>
> 3) Free radicals and other things that influence DNA/cells entropy or
> growth
>
> 4) DNA ( structure/development/breakdown/manipulation. to "force"
> biological evolution through manipulation)
>
> 5) Biomechanics ( biological and mechanical interface/interaction. to
> electronically/mechanically evolve mental/physical capabilities)
>
> 6) Nanotechnology (research/development , function/use theories,
> development problems/solutions)
>
> Neommox at yahoo.com
>
>
>
>
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