[ExI] Human extinction

[Stefano Vaj]

On Wed, Aug 27, 2008 at 6:56 AM, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com> wrote:
> Missionaries especially would be astonished to hear such
> a claim. That is, suppose a preacher arose who said, "Whoa,
> let us leave our un-Christian neighbors (or un-Moslem, whatever) in peace"

Interesting example, since this is a substantial difference between
paganism (or, to some extent, even judaism) and christianism. On one
side there being the idea that your god is yours, and if any ethical
duty exists about that is to *avoid* pressuring other people to
convert ; on the other, that you possess some Universal Truth that
engages you to show the rest of the world the Error of Their Ways.

It is debatable who actually acts out of a superiority complex in the
two alternatives... :-)

>> Mmhhh, I think this is a psychological consequence, albeit of a very
>> metaphorical and indirect nature, of my "gene whisper" that tells me
>> "reproduce! reproduce! leave something behind!".
>
> Then take Dawkin's parting words to heart:  "We must rebel against
> our genes!"..., or, well, something like that. Anyway, whenever we
> have a heart to heart talk, I make it perfectly clear to *my* genes
> who is boss.

Yes, but if I happen to agree with them, and for that matter in the
vaguest and most indirect fashion, should I really change my mind for
the sake of argument? :-)

I have no doubt that I and most people do like the idea of leaving
something behind, perhaps even more so today with our miserable
lifespans, but I understood your question as begging for the possible
reasons and origin of such a preference...

Stefano Vaj