[ExI] YES! Hard-core transhumanist splinter

[Mike Dougherty]

On Mon, Jun 21, 2010 at 7:53 PM, Sabrina Ballard
<sabrina.ballard at allromanceebooks.com> wrote:
> Perhaps there needs to be a fundimental shift in the way people think?
> Perhaps if we viewed each "insignificant unit" as something unique,
> even though it is fairly standard, then the idea would be more
> swallowable. That is, embrace the differences that make each person
> unique. Studying and propigating uniqueness may be more important that
> we realize.

Agreed.  Diversity and specifically novelty will become increasingly
valuable as we move away from the zero-sum game we play today and into
the unlimited post-scarcity future.  I wish the current vampire
fascination would address the boredom that would come from the same
old drama of human short-lives in a society of immortals.  Oh right,
that's because the audience isn't actually immortal...

> I think that you could very easily say that you have created something
> new because self-delusion in an important ans healthy part of many
> people's lives. This person would be funtimentially very different
> from the human we know today as to be 'alien' and 'cold'. I don't feel
> that people would relate very will to the idea.

The post to which I was replying suggested that dualists believe in a
soul.  I was wondering if the soul-less had any sense of identity in
their machinery or if any amount of missing parts would change who
they are.  I didn't think many people would volunteer to have their
evolved irrationality removed along the way to cyber-heaven if they
knew in advance that they wouldn't recognize anyone (including
themself) on the other side.

>
> (although I think I may be interpreting your statement differently
> than you intended. Please clarify me if I am.)

I intended only a different point of view.  Thanks for responding at all.  :)