[ExI] war and technological progress

[Samantha Atkins]

Lee Corbin wrote:
> Neville writes
>
>   
>> As a Christian I must protest any defense of war on technological
>> or any other grounds. Besides, war cannot be considered extropic
>> as it sows resentment and revenge resulting in unforseeable existential risk.
>>     
>
> I'm curious:  who would be defending war?  Also, do you protest
> hurricanes and other forces over which a given party has no control?
> Unless you're a pacifist, then I'm lost here. 
>
>   

I am very opposed to war, except to avert something worse.  However, 
what does being a Christian have to do with it?  Historically Christians 
haven't had much trouble at all (except for a few sects) being in or 
even starting wars. 

Now considering the sowing of resentment as being unextropic, how far 
does that go?  Through envy, for instance, quite a bit of envy can 
result.   Are all things that might occasion envy to be considered 
unextropic?    I have sometimes thought that the very unlikely outcome 
of everyone considering the wellbeing of others critical to their own 
maximal wellbeing might actually be one of the few optimal 
psychological/sociological/political paths through Singularity.   It is 
so far against the grain of EP though that it is difficult to see how to 
get there.  And it seems to take full abundance economy to make a go of 
it anyway. 

- samantha