[ExI] Transhuman

[Joshua Job]

I question that Thoreau was more like himself. He's always himself, just
under different conditions. The idea that we have some sort of immutable
nature as individuals is something that is simply wrong. I think it may
also be a source of problems in a post-human future. Misunderstanding this
leads to psychological and social problems for current humans.

As for practicality for cosmetics and cosmetic surgery--it seems that
humans require standards of health and vitality to judge others on. A
notion of beauty or attractiveness or "hey I should talk to them"-ness is
required as a heuristic in our dealings with others to constrain the
problem of who to interact with, particularly with regards to potential
sexual partners. It is likely a biological fact that such standards of
physical attractiveness exist.

Given that they are real, then working to conform to them brings you
practical benefits, in that people like you more, will be more helpful, and
think you are a more self-confident person (another trait people think
important).

It would seem that the biology/psychology of humans is what gives
cosmetic-anything its value.
-Josh.
On Sep 5, 2012 5:42 PM, "Mike Dougherty" <msd001 at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Sep 5, 2012 at 4:43 PM, B.K. DeLong <bkdelong at pobox.com> wrote:
> > 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 made me think of Thoreau alone in the woods writing Walden.  Was
> he, during that experience, more or less human?  By removing himself
> from the daily grind of humanity, he became unlike the others and
> simultaneously more like himself.  I think it will be difficult to
> determine what is "still human" and what is "more than human" until
> capabilities are authoritatively established for "exactly human."
> That sentiment was recently expressed in the comparison of 'enhanced'
> paraLympians and NASCAR machinery (and boxing weight class)
>
> What is the _practical_ benefit of cosmetics?  I'm not even talking
> about looking like a lizard, I mean that billion-dollar industry of
> facepaint and fakery.  I held my opinion on the high-heeled footware
> discussion, but you're not really going to convince me there's any
> more _practical_ use for those either...
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