[ExI] Left Behind

[John Grigg]

G. wrote:
This makes even more sense to me since I am not wildly optimist on the
actual development timescale of uploading technology, and don't really
hope to se it achieved in my lifetime.
>>

Wait, I thought the singularity was happening by 2045, at least according to
Ray Kurzweil (but wait, wasn't his initial prediction for the year 2025??).
But I realize his most recent date for the event puts it roughly 35 years
into the future,  and so for anyone over 40 it is a very iffy date.

Does the Cryonomicon offer the answers? hee

http://alcor.org/

http://www.cryonics.org/

G. wrote:
But I use to react to those who insist that the uploading option is
impossible in principle. because this position (especially when it is
not supported by actual arguments) looks like mysticism to me.
>>

Uploading impossible?  I doubt that.  But I view it as a hopefully perfect
copy of me and not actually *me*.

*IT"S NOW TIME FOR A VERY LENGTHY DISCUSSION ON THE NATURE OF IDENTITY-
ALREADY DONE MANY TIMES BEFORE ON THIS LIST, EVERYONE TO YOUR KEYBOARDS!!!*
; )

G. wrote:
And I also react to those who insist that transhumanist ideas are "dry",
because this position shows that they have not understood much.
>>

Transhumanist ideas are dry? LOL  I would say they are practically dripping
wet with imagination and mind-boggling concepts!  These critics have
obviously not done very much reading or spoken to Max More, Anders Sandberg,
Nick Bostrom, Aubrey de Grey, Natasha Vita-More, or Robert Bradbury.

Post Futurist wrote:
why would you want sex then? sex is animalistic.
not to mix metaphors, but apples are apples; oranges are oranges ;- /
>>

If you think of sex as only animalistic than you don't have a
well-rounded view of the full range of human sexuality and lovemaking.  I
envision posthumans (even the most advanced) as not discarding this
important part of human existence, but instead transforming it and taking it
to new levels.

G. wrote:
Indeed, I think that these natural and enthusiastic yearnings for
escape may drive practical striving toward a better tomorrow. And no,
I don't think they take attention away from the challenges and hard
work of the here and now. I have seen enough people dying of cancer,
confined to a life support system, destroyed by age, or just
profoundly unhappy to conclude that life, as it is, sucks. If not for
these natural and enthusiastic yearnings for escape, I would not
consider life as worth living, let alone find the interest and drive
to strive toward a better tomorrow.
>>

I totally agree.  I am so glad humanity appears to be fairly close to the
point where we can finally escape the endless cycles of disease, aging
decrepitude, poverty, early death and the many other things that have
plagued us since the beginning.

A problem I have with most fantasy epics is that they are universes stuck in
an endless cycle of evil and/or crumbling monarchies, civil
wars, threatening non-human races, and scary prophecies.  I sometimes feel
like humanity is on volume 20 of one of those nearly never-ending fantasy
series. lol

I love the quote by Henry David Thoreau,  "If you have built castles in the
air, your work need not be lost; that is where they should be. Now put the
foundations under them."
Giulio, I'm so glad you're on this list and that you have a streak of
Thoreau in you.

John Grigg  : )
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