[extropy-chat] ANNOUNCE: Extropy Institute's Future

[Natasha Vita-More]

Dear Members, friends, and colleagues:

This letter is an announcement of the events taking place at Extropy 
Institute as a result of its Strategic Plan 2006. A copy of the Plan is 
available on ExI's website [ http://www.extropy.org/strategicplan.htm ] for 
your review. The Plan identifies some factors that ExI's Board has 
considered in assessing the future of ExI and the best possible course of 
action to take for ExI, its members, and other stakeholders.

The Past.  ExI was formed in 1990 by Max More and Tom Bell with a mission 
to bring great minds together to incubate ideas about emerging 
technologies, life extension and the future. ExI's goals were to (1) 
develop an elegant, focused philosophy for transhumanism­the philosophy of 
"Extropy"; (2) encourage discussions and debates on improving the human 
condition; and (2) develop a culture for activists, energized and devoted 
to bringing these ideas to the public. The initiatives which realized these 
goals are (1) Extropy: the Journal of Transhumanist Thought; Principles of 
Extropy; Extro Conferences 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5; public forums such as the 
famed "extropians" and "extropy-chat" email lists; public presentations in 
the news, radio, televised documentaries, talk shows, and films; and the VP 
Summit of 2004 addressing the backlash from conservatives against 
technological advancements.

The Present. ExI deems its mission as essentially completed. With this 
said, and in respect for Extropy Institute’s legacy of achievement, the 
Board voted and has unanimously agreed to close Extropy Institute's doors.

Extropy Institute's website is being memorialized by turning it into a 
reference "Library of Transhumanism, Extropy, and the Future," ­the 
beginnings, currents, and future of Transhumanism.

On behalf of our members, I would like to thank Max for authoring the 
philosophy of Extropy1 and for his many efforts in working with others to 
steer the philosophical development of transhumanism, which is truly 
treasured by so many people in so many places.

The Future. As you will see by reviewing the Strategic Plan, the 
Proactionary Principle stands first and foremost as the concept with the 
most potential for being of great service to humanity and transhumanity as 
we go forward. The Proactionary Principle (ProP) can help society by 
bridging the growing gap between conservative views and progress-oriented 
views, and educating society about the future. Meeting these two challenges 
by providing an active course of action can be of tremendous benefit to us all.

In respect for the philosophy of Extropy and the Principles of Extropy, the 
Board of Extropy Institute believes that Extropy Institute has served its 
mission and achieved its goals and, in practicing the Principles of 
Extropy, our next step is to focus on developing worldwide awareness of the 
ProP [ http://www.extropy.org/prop.htm ] and a network for proactive futures.

With my most sincere thanks for your support over the years,

Natasha Vita-More
Extropy Institute, President


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Coined by Prof. Tom Bell (T.O. Morrow) in 1988.
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