[ExI] (Exl) A delicate egg

[Brent Allsop]

Hi Damian U,

I completely agree with your first step idea.  But I think it needs to 
be more of a concise survey of what all transhumanists, want, value, and 
believe.  In short, we need to measure, rigorously and quantitatively 
for what is the scientific consensus (and I bet there would be a big 
overlap between scientific consensus and transhumanist consensus) That 
is precisely why we are working on the wiki survey system at canonizer.com.

Right now, there are not enough expert 'scientists' that know what they 
are talking about to be heard above all the primitive crazy noise from 
the general population.  It's a lot of stupid talking to stupid.  I 
think the solution is to have a rigorous way to find out who the experts 
are, and also who the transhumanists are (see: 
http://canonizer.com/topic.asp/53 ) and to rigorously / quantitatively 
measure for scientific consensus.  That way the general population will 
finally learn who to trust, and finally enable them to no longer trust 
all the primitive fear mongering religious leaders and crackpots just 
pandering to what the still primitive general population thinks they 
want to hear and fanning their fears.  (And transhumanists, themselves, 
suffer from a bit of this not knowing what the real experts know...)

It also may be a bit too late for the current generation, but at least 
we will be able to provide a good moral source of expert opinion to the 
next generation, instead of all the primitive popular fear mongering 
stupid moral advice the currently generation grew up with.

For example, here is what I think is a good start:

http://canonizer.com/topic.asp/50

Other than it still being far from a comprehensive survey, are there any 
important issues not represented there yet?

I also think we need to survey for what the experts think are the most 
important scientific research is to do next, which are being done in 
topics like this:

http://canonizer.com/topic.asp/90

Brent Allsop



On 6/27/2010 4:43 PM, udend05 at aol.com wrote:
> Leaving aside issues of a more personal nature taking place on the 
> list at the moment, what is to happen to this 'delicate egg' of 
> transhumanism? How can it be portrayed in a healthy and sustainable 
> way so that it is not only brought into the general arena, but also in 
> a way that is acceptable to the mainstream? What political steps must 
> be taken? Accepting that it is essential for there to be some kind of 
> consensus in transhumanist thinking, how can that be reached? What is 
> blocking it? Is there too much debate over particular technologies, 
> leading to a clouding of the central issue of the desirability of 
> using technology to improve our lot? Is enough attention being paid to 
> push scientific progress at the legislative level?
>
> My own belief is that the first step must be towards creating a 
> consistent body of academic work to form the foundation for a movement 
> that is consistent on the inside. Debate over specific technologies 
> and their desirability/feasibility must take a back seat to this 
> overarching goal. But who is to take on this work? And how are others' 
> to bring themselves in line with it without compromising their own 
> beliefs?
>
> Food for thought.
>
> Best,
> Damian U.
>
>
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