Re: Fred Reed - The Dave Barry of Racists

From: J. R. Molloy (jr@shasta.com)
Date: Sat Aug 04 2001 - 13:45:23 MDT


From: "Lee Corbin" <lcorbin@tsoft.com>
> I repeat, if extropians simply
> cannot handle uncomfortable ideas, then how in the world can
> we ever hope that non-extropians should come to grips with
> cloning, uploading, immortality, or the Spike?

Excellent point! As for "racism" (whatever that word has come to mean of
late), I think the subject deserves to be studied scientifically, but only if
a definite and rigorous definition is forthcoming. Unfortunately, political
correctness prevents such research, preferring to adhere to ideology rather
than science. In a similar way, research on human sex differences was stymied
for decades by ideologues who wanted to impose their view that no differences
exist. When drug companies needed real scientific data to determine side
effects of some medications, that barrier was overcome (at least to some
extent).

Stay hungry,

--J. R.

Useless hypotheses, etc.:
 consciousness, phlogiston, philosophy, vitalism, mind, free will, qualia,
analog computing, cultural relativism, GAC, Cyc, Eliza, and ego.

     Everything that can happen has already happened, not just once,
     but an infinite number of times, and will continue to do so forever.
     (Everything that can happen = more than anyone can imagine.)

We won't move into a better future until we debunk religiosity, the most
regressive force now operating in society.



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