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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=000322016-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>Bty, here are the links and my
thoughts:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=000322016-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=000322016-07102008>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Arial><FONT color=#0000ff><FONT size=2><SPAN
class=734160615-07102008><SPAN class=000322016-07102008>Converging Technologies
</SPAN>US report </SPAN><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><A
title=http://www.wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/
href="http://www.wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/">http://www.wtec.org/ConvergingTechnologies/</A> </SPAN></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>CONTECS <SPAN class=000322016-07102008>Euro
</SPAN>Final Report </FONT><A title=http://www.contecs.fraunhofer.de/
href="http://www.contecs.fraunhofer.de/"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>http://www.contecs.fraunhofer.de/</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2> </FONT></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>The CONTECS report was not visionary (as G. said)
but a response to the US report in analyzing its
substance/claims. I enjoyed reading it. I wasn't looking for
visionary ideas - I have been around them for decades. I wanted as close to an
objective analysis as possible and I think CONTECS delivered on this
point. I found that it valued the US report and was attempting to discover
a place for Europe in the NBIC arena. Even though it mentioned
transhumanist on one hand, which surprised me, and the precautionary principle
on the other, it did not diss Transhumanism or human performance enhancements --
it simply claims social issues of greater value.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=734160615-07102008><FONT face=Arial
color=#0000ff size=2>In sum, I found CONTECS a weak means for Europe to get
in the game and to piece-meal out an area which it can claim as territory and a
knowledge source. I was impressed that (even though it said US report was
reductionist, etc. and didn't want to be bothered with Transhumanism), it did
not ignore NBIC and found substantial value in it -- enough to compete for
knowledge/evidence/value/.</FONT></SPAN></DIV></SPAN></SPAN></DIV>
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height=48 alt=Nlogo1.tif src="cid:000322016@07102008-3697" width=23
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style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: #404040; FONT-FAMILY: 'Freestyle Script'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><A
href="http://www.natasha.cc/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #404040; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Natasha Vita-More</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B> extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org
[mailto:extropy-chat-bounces@lists.extropy.org] <B>On Behalf Of </B>Natasha
Vita-More<BR><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, October 07, 2008 10:05 AM<BR><B>To:</B> 'ExI
chat list'; extrobritannia@yahoogroups.com; 'World Transhumanist Association
Discussion List'<BR><B>Subject:</B> [ExI] NBIC - CONTECS Final
Report<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><SPAN lang=EN>
<P>I was just reading "Converging Technologies and Their Impact on the Social
Sciences and Humanities" (CONTECS) report (May 2008) and its views concerning
the US NBIC directives on one hand and the European directives on the other.</P>
<P>The report claims the US has a reductionist and technodeterministic approach,
while the European approach claims to be transdiciplinary and concerned with
society rather than human enhancement, per se.</P>
<P>There is far more to the report than this observation. But I was wondering if
anyone has read this report and what do you think about it?
</SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal align=left><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-no-proof: yes"><IMG
height=48 alt=Nlogo1.tif src="cid:000322016@07102008-369E" width=23
v:shapes="Picture_x0020_0"></SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"> </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 18pt; COLOR: #404040; FONT-FAMILY: 'Freestyle Script'; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><A
href="http://www.natasha.cc/"><SPAN
style="COLOR: #404040; mso-themecolor: text1; mso-themetint: 191"><FONT
face=Arial size=2>Natasha Vita-More</FONT></SPAN></A></SPAN><SPAN
style="mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
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