[extropy-chat] The goal justifies the means?

[citta437 at aol.com]

Evidently, Transhumanists' goals are dependent on scientific 
discoveries and the latter need refined technological devices to 
progress in the path of unlimited possibilities. The inderdependencies 
between science and technology is obviously necessary for this journey 
but to add another philosophy on top of this processes of growth seemed 
redundant to the already exploding field of scientific research.

In other words, the importance of the goals  supercede the means to 
attain the goal.

I'm into prolonging life if the means to attain it is within reason.

I'm in favor of artificial intelligence to aid us in making life 
peaceful and comfortable. But there is always a trade-off in the 
process of obtaining these goals;  are we ready to give up what it 
means to be human?

To be human means having feelings of compassion towards ourselves and 
the environment we live in. I could envision a world of robotic 
humanoids without reason and feelings. Who could continue to monitor 
them when something goes wrong?

Terry
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