[extropy-chat] Fwd: SURVIVAL: An impulse behind transhumanism?

[Samantha Atkins]

On Jun 28, 2006, at 4:54 PM, nvitamore at austin.rr.com wrote:

>
> From: Russell Wallace
>
>>> Someone asked me recently what the impulse behind transhumanism  
>>> was.  I
>>> said survival.
>
>> I agree completely.
>
> I'd like to take this a step further.  Can you find parallels in  
> society in
> which a movement was developed for the sake of survival?


I am not sure that survival is where the roots are.  Humanity seems  
to have a deep yearning to overcome various limitations and forms of  
suffering.  That yearning is seen is religions, in philosophy, in  
art, in various idealistic notions and systems, and in  
transhumanism.    Transhumanism seems to be a manifestation of that  
ancient drive made aware of science and technological  
possibilities.   So I think the impulse behind transhumanism goes  
beyond survival or at least that 'survival' misses important nuances.

- samantha