[ExI] h+ in smithsonian

[Max More]

Jeff, it's not just you.

The "moral obligation" view seems to spring from transhumanists who hold a
utilitarian or deontological moral view. It doesn't make sense from a
virtue ethics perspective, which is what I've long favored and which is
reflected in the extropian approach to transhumanism.

I'm all for helping other people to be healthy and overcome their
biological limits, but it's something I choose to do (and to different
degrees depending on what it is), not because it's a moral obligation. What
is the source of such an obligation? No such source exists, in my view.

--Max

P.S. I haven't been receiving any messages from list list in quite a few
days, but they seem to be coming in now.


On Sun, Mar 18, 2012 at 4:42 PM, Natasha Vita-More <natasha at natasha.cc>wrote:

> I think she must have gotten this from some person she interviewed and
> paraphrased it without quoting who said it.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org
> [mailto:extropy-chat-bounces at lists.extropy.org] On Behalf Of Jeff Davis
> Sent: Sunday, March 18, 2012 6:10 PM
> To: ExI chat list
> Subject: Re: [ExI] h+ in smithsonian
>
> 2012/3/18 spike <spike66 at att.net>:
>
> > http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/How-to-Become-the-Enginee
> > rs-of-Our-Own-Evolution.html?utm_source=smithsonianfuturism&utm_medium
> > =email&utm_campaign=201203-futurism
>
> From the article:
>
> "...Transhumanists say we are morally obligated to help the human race
> transcend its biological limits..."
>
> How many agree with this?  The moral obligation part.  Feels a bit
> evangelical to me, a bit pushy, a bit intrusive, but that's just me.
> No doubt there's a range of views re the obligatory nature of helping
> others
> or ***ALL*** humanity to transcend.
>
> I'm perfectly happy to let the rest of humanity choose for themselves
> whether to enhance or not.  Actually, as a personal freedom issue, I
> support
> those who choose to live "natural", age naturally, and die naturally, to do
> so.  Call me selfish, but I'd prefer that these traditionalists age
> gracefully and die peacefully, and in doing so, lighten the Luddite load.
>
> Other opinions?
>
> Best Jeff Davis
>
>        "Everything's hard till you know how to do it."
>                               Ray Charles
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-- 
Max More, PhD
Strategic Philosopher
Co-editor, *The Transhumanist Reader*
CEO, Alcor Life Extension Foundation
7895 E. Acoma Dr # 110
Scottsdale, AZ 85260
480/905-1906 ext 113
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