[ExI] Question from a neophyte

[natasha at natasha.cc]

Welcome to the list Sarah.

Thank you for asking this question. 

Here are my suggestions:

1.  The Wikipedia article  
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism[1] is a fairly good  
summary; however, it does have some flaws. The two flaws that stand  
out are that it skims over, very quickly, the philosophical beginnings  
of transhumanism and that its historical summation is not completely  
accurate.

2. "Transhumanism - Towards a Futurist Philosophy"  
http://www.maxmore.com/transhum.htm[2] is the essential reading.

3.  "The Global Spiral" special issue on transhumanism  
- "Transhumanism Answers Its Critics" is, in my opinion,  
quintessential reading for anyone wanting to know about  
transhumanism!  It explains transhumanism by responding to specific  
criticisms of several high-profile academics.  Here is the  
introduction:  
http://www.metanexus.net/magazine/tabid/68/id/10693/Default.aspx[3]   
 I especially like "True Transhumanism"  
http://www.metanexus.net/Magazine/tabid/68/id/10685/Default.aspx[4]  
and "Trite Truths About Technology: A Reply to Ted Peters"  
http://www.metanexus.net/magazine/tabid/68/id/10681/Default.aspx[5]   
(You can easily search on this site for the each transhumanist's  
responsive paper, which is listed in the introduction.)

4.  Two Transhumanist FAQs:  http://www.extropy.org/faq.htm[6]  and  
http://humanityplus.org/learn/philosophy/faq[7]

5.  And last but not least!  Transhumanism is about people and  
culture.  This is a worn-out site in dire need to upgrading, but it  
has legs:  http://www.transhuman.org/[8]  and the arts, of course:   
http://www.transhumanist.biz/[9]

I suggest all of these because they provide a diverse set of ideas  
within transhumanism.  I especially suggest the Metanexus collection  
published in January of 2009 because they include criticisms and  
responses to criticisms in a thought-provoking way, rather than just  
reading a Declaration or Manifesto.

Best,

Natasha
Natasha Vita-More[10]

Quoting Sarah Wood <wood.sarah.m at gmail.com>:

> Hello all -
> Having barely dipped my toes in the murky waters of transhumanism, I
> have a request. I would like to know what are, in your opinion, the
> (three? five?) most important foundational texts that one should read
> to become versed in the basic principles and vocabulary of the subject.
>
> Please forgive (and redirect) me if this is not the appropriate forum.
>
> Sarah
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> extropy-chat mailing list
> extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org
> http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat[11]


Links:
------
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transhumanism
[2] http://www.maxmore.com/transhum.htm
[3] http://www.metanexus.net/magazine/tabid/68/id/10693/Default.aspx
[4] http://www.metanexus.net/Magazine/tabid/68/id/10685/Default.aspx
[5] http://www.metanexus.net/magazine/tabid/68/id/10681/Default.aspx
[6] http://www.extropy.org/faq.htm
[7] http://humanityplus.org/learn/philosophy/faq
[8] http://www.transhuman.org/
[9] http://www.transhumanist.biz/
[10] http://www.natasha.cc
[11] http://lists.extropy.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/extropy-chat


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