Re: SOC: Opposition to Transhumanism

From: Elizabeth Childs (echilds@linex.com)
Date: Tue Jan 04 2000 - 13:28:15 MST


From: <Delvieron@aol.com>

> On further thought, we might need a couple of lists
>
> Transhumanist Criticism - Listing sources which critique and criticize
> transhumanism, this would be a useful source to test our own ideas and see
> the holes in transhumanist thought (and of course then fix them).
>
> Transhumanist Opposition - listing people and/or organizations which are
> actively opposed to transhumanism, so we can find out why and try to
convince
> them we're not so bad.
>
> Anti-Transhumanism - Listing sources which advocate in part or totally
> stances that are counter to transhumanist principles, so that we may learn
of
> the dangers facing us and try to engage in constructive counters to them.

Another category: terrorist organizations. There are a number of groups
currently active which are making physical attacks on scientific labs and
harassing scientists. The most prominent that I know of in the USA are
PETA, the Animal Liberation Front, and Reclaim the Seeds. In Europe, 70
labs researching genetically engineered crops have been attacked.

Groups like this can have a chilling affect on research. I used to work in
an entomology department, and no one there would do flea and tick research
because they were afraid of animal rights groups. (Fleas and ticks require
mammalian hosts.)

Recently an animal rights group claimed to have sent out envelopes to
scientists booby-trapped with razor blades:
http://www.ampef.org/news/jd_release.htm
More of the same:
http://www.ampef.org/alfhits.htm

While I agree with the points made earlier that we should try to consider
every opponent a potential ally, people who have resorted to the use of
violence and vandalism are beyond reason.



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