[ExI] TransDisabled [WAS:Transhumanist Declaration]

[Dan]

I think this is all relative. I mean what is viewed as a lack or a disability 
depends on expectations, preferences, and context. I'm sure we're all aware how 
this has changed in terms of medicine and health just over the last century or 
so. This has led to changes in expectations, preferences, and the overall 
context. For instance, what's expected of and preferred by someone who's 60 now 
is a lot different than what was expected 20, 50, or 100 years ago. I think one 
might view the average 60 year old of 100 years ago -- someone who might have 
expected to be in that condition and realigned her preferences accordingly -- as 
a person with many disabilities and who could and should be made better off 
(surely, not magically changed into a 20 year old) in terms of physical and 
mental capabilities and might even be expected to do much better now.

And I don't think a change in nomenclature will fix this, though, I suspect, it 
might raise consciousness.

I think, also, the terms used will change over time as what's viewed as 
appriopriate changes -- partly because what's a euphemism or a dysphemism 
changes -- over time or depending on the social context.

I would also quibble with "obligation" as that connotes a claim upon someone to 
do something. And I only think such claims come up with consent and never 
without it. This doesn't mean no moral judgment follows. One might judge someone 
to be immoral, for instance, because of her behavior, but still not believe she 
has an obligation -- as in something enforceable -- to behave otherwise. This 
really comes down to separating justice claims from the rest of morality.

Regards,

Dan

From: Natasha Vita-More <natasha at natasha.cc>
To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Tue, October 12, 2010 1:11:10 PM
Subject: Re: [ExI] TransDisabled [WAS:Transhumanist Declaration]


I don't think any of us with disabilities favor the term "disabled".
 
But I look at it this way:  as long as we are human, we disabled by the 
inability to overcome disease.  

 
Is there a better term?

Natasha Vita-More

From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org 
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of ablainey at aol.com
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 4:24 AM
To: extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
Subject: Re: [ExI] TransDisabled [WAS:Transhumanist Declaration]

Sorry no good links (Coming soon). 
Likewise I see it as an act of kindness, empathy and basic humanity and that was 
really what I meant by 'moral obligation'. I am trying to square up my own 
direction as I have real problems working on projects that might elevate the 
able bodied further above those with disability. Thinking about having 
superhuman senses, abilities and life span while others suffer to have 'normal' 
levels of the aforementioned makes my heart sink.
I hate most of the terminology relating to disabled people, even the term 
disabled seems derogatory. I fully agree we all have disabilities, I myself am 
colour blind, dyslexic, have arthritis, shot knees and a herniated disk and 
that's before the myriad of mental oddities ;o)

Just a crisis of conscience making me re-evaluate things.

A


-----Original Message-----
From: Natasha Vita-More <natasha at natasha.cc>
To: 'ExI chat list' <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
Sent: Sat, 9 Oct 2010 15:05
Subject: Re: [ExI] Transhumanist Declaration


Do you have a link to the work you have been doing?  
 
People with disabilities are not subhuman, they are human.  We all have 
disabilities to some degree and unfortunately some people have them to a large 
degree.
 
I do not think we have a moral obligation to improve the disabilities of humans 
before a transhuman, posthuman or upload (TPU)obtains radical prolongevity.  
Those with disabilities who are unable to make the distinction concerning 
enhancement ought to be protected by a right to have their disabilities cured to 
a human level and then they can make their own choices about TPU. I consider 
this action to be a "humane act of awareness/consciousness/kindness to other 
people" rather than a "moral obligation". 
 
best,
N
Natasha Vita-More


      
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