[extropy-chat] On Gut Feelings

Dirk Bruere dirk.bruere at gmail.com
Mon Jan 16 00:26:09 UTC 2006


On 1/14/06, Samantha Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com> wrote:
>
>
> On Jan 14, 2006, at 6:54 AM, Jack Parkinson wrote:
>
> The fairly recent acrimonious political debate in this forum and the
> airing of the WTA 'dirty laundry' has made me wonder a little about the
> reliability of the 'gut-feeling' as an arbiter of what intelligent life
> ought to be listening and paying attention to.
>
> In the case of Danila Medvedev: To be sure, I am no apologist for Stalin:
> But - I do believe in free speech. I see no benefits whatsoever in sweeping
> unpalatable political facts - or even unpalatable political fictions and
> delusions - beneath some metaphorical carpet. We are reasonable people (or
> should be) and able to engage/reject a topic with reason and informed
> debate.
>
>
>
> Wholesale rewriting of history and denial of atrocities has nothing to do
> with reason on informed debate.  Such denials are not debatable.
>

ie some things are beyond debate because we all know them to be
true/false...
Doesn't sound very Extropian to me.

So I was somewhat taken aback some time ago when I mildly remonstrated
> against the ad-hominem attacks Danila Medvedev was being subjected to on the
> WTA list and was promptly denounced as a 'commie' and an admirer of Hitler
> and Pol-Pot. Almost immediately the signal to noise ratio made further
> discussion impossible. Pity - because something important was lost. Reasoned
> response was sacrificed (eventually moderated out) because a few individuals
> persisted in their pejorative attacks - making it clear that their
> sacrosanct world view was not to be threatened on THEIR list...
>
>
> The notion that all opinions no matter how absurd or evil are worthy of
> defense and serious consideration is shallow thinking.
>

That has no bearing on whether someone who holds one of those 'absurd or
evil' beliefs should be allowed to make a case.

This list, this group, and the values it generally shares (values which some
> members sometimes seek to ferociously protect) has no comfortable sanction
> on what will and will not be a part of our extropian future. We each have
> our subjective reality. All the things that this group (or some elements of
> it) might seek to exclude will continue to be factors influencing the future
> regardless of your willingness to admit them or not. So what is the point of
> limiting debate? The truth is - there is no point - if you admit that
> reality is more important than the maintenance of some fictional
> comfort-zone.
>
>
> I do get to decide what I sanction and abhor.  So do groups of people and
> organizations.  By what they sanction and stand for they will be judged.
>  Debate is not limited.  Having such an open mind that your brains fall out
> is not "debate" or respect for reality.
>

You have just decided that some things are *not* to be debated - not just by
you but everyone here.

Just my opinion: But moderation might be (could be):
>
>    1. Anything goes - provided it has an extropian angle.
>
> mostly the way things are here.
>
>
>    1.
>    2. Politics, religion and sexual preference are exclusively the
>    preserve and prerogative of the writer. Respect them.
>
>
> What does this "respect" of politics or religion mean?  Does it mean that
> we don't rigorously examine and criticize each other's notions in these
> areas?  If so then I am not interested.
>

I'm not big on the US definitions of 'tolerance' and 'respect' . Too often
they mean unquestioning quasi-acceptance.
In reality what they mean is that we allow freedom of expression for all
parties, pro and con, and we respect the right of a person to hold 'absurd
or evil' beliefs.


>    1. Although you may seriously doubt the mental health of the
>    poster - you may attack the concept/proposition as outlined in the post ONLY
>    on reasoned, rational grounds. Under NO circumstances will you
>    resort to pejorative labelling: ie, telling the author s/he is
>    crazy/commie/anarchist/etc etc, or otherwise attempt to discredit the person
>    rather than the argument. If you do so - you will get moderated out
>    of the discussion forthwith.
>
>
> Yes,  again part of this list.
>

I think this whole storm is pointing to the need for there to be a *true*
umbrella org.
And that means one where Transhumanists are not thrown out because of their
political beliefs (or debating/expressing them), be they Stalinists,
Libertarians, Socialists, Nazis, Raelians or Prometheans.

When someone seriously puts together such an org I will consider joining.

Dirk
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