[ExI] The meaning of life (in transhumanism)

[Anders Sandberg]

William Flynn Wallace <foozler83 at gmail.com> , 24/2/2014 5:31 PM:
Whether 'right' or 'duty' has an existence in an ontological sense plays second fiddle in my thinking.  As a psychologist I just look at what people do.  People overwhelmingly conform to many of their family's expectations,  to their religion's, to their profession's, and to society's.  

I tend to regard being able to question and (in principle) change one's behaviour as a sign of mental health (and ethical thinking). Most people who are mentally ill are stuck with a certain way of thinking and acting, even when it is painful, harmful or against what they wish. By analogy, never questioning one's life is a form of mental condition - not quite an illness, but a lack of flexibility and potential for growth. Most of us of course never rebel against most expectations even if we consider whether to obey them or not: many make sense on one level or another. But being aware that one could do differently is tremendously liberating. 




Anders Sandberg, Future of Humanity Institute Philosophy Faculty of Oxford University
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