[extropy-chat] Yesterday's Seminar on Transhumanism and Religion in Second Life

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 02/05/07, Keith Henson <hkhenson at rogers.com> wrote:

"Another problem is how to improve ourselves without getting completely
> lost.
> Today the mental modules at the root of our personalities change slowly if
> at
> all.  When our deepest desires can be quickly modified with trivial
> effort, how
> much of us will survive?  The results of modifying ourselves could be as
> tragic
> as being modified by others.*  This and nanotechnology based "super dope"
> that
> make everyone happy but without ambition (or even the desire to eat) are
> among
> the subtle dangers we face.  It is time for those of us who are concerned
> about
> our futures to start thinking about these problems."
>

The crude technology will allow us to become happy without ambition - we
have that in currently available drugs. The more refined technology will
allow to become happy *with* ambition. If you could modify yourself so that
you experience pleasure sitting around doing nothing or the same amount of
pleasure doing something that, all else being equal, you consider more
worthwhile than sitting around doing nothing, which would you you choose?

-- 
Stathis Papaioannou
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