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Dirk and everyone,<br><br>
I think that my response to Dirk came off as too harsh. Please
forgive me if this is so. Sometimes I am not fully confident that I
understand Dirk, and could have miscalculated. My response is that
if Dirk thinks that extropy can be interpreted in a myriad of ways, this
is off the mark because extropy = extropy. Interpretations of an
ideological outcome from extropy can indeed be interpreted in a number of
ways that authentically reflect the principles. What we are
striving for a viewpoint that is extropic and which reflects the most
advantageous outcomes for transhumanity.<br><br>
Best,<br>
Natasha<br><br>
At 08:31 AM 9/10/2005, you wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Dirk,<br><br>
I think it would be best if you respected the communications already sent
to this list and published elsewhere regarding Extropy
Institute.<br><br>
Thank you.<br><br>
Natasha Vita-More<br><br>
<br>
At 06:53 AM 9/10/2005, you wrote:<br><br>
<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">On 9/8/05, <b>Max More</b>
<<a href="mailto:max@maxmore.com">max@maxmore.com</a>> wrote:
<dl>
<dd> Clearly
<dd>the Principles of Extropy are highly *compatible* with a libertarian
<dd>view of politics -- more so than with any other identifiable
<dd>viewpoint that I know of. It doesn't follow that they are
<dd>*restricted* to only that one, exact political philosophy. A
dogmatic
<dd>view of political and economic systems would be incompatible with
the
<dd>principles of rational thinking and perpetual progress. <br>
<dd>As I've said many times, the Principles are *not* compatible with
<dd>socialism, but do not rule out *possible* exceptions to strict
<dd>libertarian answers. The ultimate goal is not adherence to
<dd>libertarian doctrine, but to advancing our lives in *all* the ways
<dd>described in the Principles. As far as I'm concerned, that *might*
<dd>mean, for example, some government funding of basic research. And it
<dd>might not -- I'm not at all sure on this issue at the moment. It
<dd>*might* mean some laws limiting private property rights -- such as
<dd>might be needed to conduct inspections of research labs working with
<dd>extremely dangerous materials (nanostuff, AI, whatever).<br><br>
</dl> <br>
IMO ExI Principles are a matter of *interpretation*, only one such being
Uber Libertarianism.<br>
If this is not so then you can kiss much future membership goodbye.<br>
<br>
As Transhumanism moves from the perceived lunatic fringe populated by
fanatical True Believers into the cultural mainstream populated by people
a lot less committed to any single political POV this is going to be even
more apparent. Trying to maintain ideological purity is a recipe for
internicene squabbling, witch hunts and heretic bashing reminiescent of
the history of 'pure' Socialism with its petty factions and interminable
cry of 'splitter!'. <br>
<br>
ExI, and its membership, must decide soon if it is going to be a bastion
of purity or whether it is going to set itself up to attract mainstream
support. We certainly know what the WTA has decided.<br>
<br>
Dirk<br><br>
<br>
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<dl>
<dd><font size=2><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Natasha
</a><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Vita-More</a>
<dd>Cultural Strategist, Designer
<dd>Studies of the Future, University of Houston
<dd>President, <a href="http://www.extropy.org/">Extropy Institute</a>
<dd>Founder, <a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/">Transhumanist Arts
& Culture</a> <br><br>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>Knowledge is the most
democratic source of power.</i> Alvin Toffler
<dd><i>Random acts of kindness... </i>Anne Herbet<br><br></font>
</dl>_______________________________________________<br>
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extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org<br>
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http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo/extropy-chat</a></blockquote>
<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
<dl>
<dd><font size=2><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Natasha
</a><a href="http://www.natasha.cc/">Vita-More</a>
<dd>Cultural Strategist, Designer
<dd>Studies of the Future, University of Houston
<dd>President, <a href="http://www.extropy.org/">Extropy Institute</a>
<dd>Founder, <a href="http://www.transhumanist.biz/">Transhumanist Arts
& Culture</a> <br><br>
</font>
<dd><font face="Times New Roman, Times"><i>Knowledge is the most
democratic source of power.</i> Alvin Toffler
<dd><i>Random acts of kindness... </i>Anne Herbet<br><br></font>
</dl></body>
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