[ExI] Transhuman

[B.K. DeLong]

Natasha is presently Vice Chair of Humanity+ (formerly the WTA) so I defer
to her - but here is their FAQ, developed by Extropy Institute and
Humanity+ as well as WTA:
http://humanityplus.org/philosophy/transhumanist-faq/#answer_19

Here is Humanity+'s Mission: http://humanityplus.org/about/mission/

If you modify your body purely for cosmetics with no practical benefit
(yes, evolutionary proofs aside - say to look like a lizard, cat or other
reasons) are you really MORE than human? Your abilities are still human -
you have not advanced your cognitive, psychological or physical abilities
unless one of the cosmetic body mods allow you to do something standard
humans cannot. Hence transcending human limitations.

That's just my view but I definitely defer to the definitions of Humanity+
and the ExI. I am just a dreamer and thinker and writer always hoping to
inspire the scientists, doctors, and engineers of current and upcoming
generations to create such amazing technologies. ;)

Who's to say that such body mods won't inspire transhumanist technologies?
They may not be transhuman but they might give people ideas...

On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 4:25 PM, Kelly Anderson <kellycoinguy at gmail.com>wrote:

> On Tue, Sep 4, 2012 at 11:27 AM, B.K. DeLong <bkdelong1 at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Because, in my mind, the purpose of body modification within the
> definition
> > of transhumanism is that you are doing so to transcend present
> limitations
> > of the standard human body for the betterment of yourself beyond mere
> > cosmetic beautification.
> >
> > I think to qualify as transhumanism, body mods need to pose a benefit,
> such
> > as a tattoo that gives a constant blood reading, removing a rib or two to
> > allow for better flexibility and contortionism, or going so far as leg
> > amputation for cybernetic limbs. Not just satisfy the subject's
> definition
> > (and perhaps a segment of society's) of beautification.
> >
> > Thoughts?
>
>
> I stand corrected. I guess I thought transhumanism was a slightly
> bigger tent that also included purely cosmetic body modification.
> After all, if I no longer look human, am I not transhuman in some
> meaningful way?
>
> -Kelly
>



-- 
B.K. DeLong (K3GRN)
bkdelong at pobox.com
+1.617.797.8471

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bkdelong    Work

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