From: Jeff Davis (jrd1415@yahoo.com)
Date: Tue Aug 20 2002 - 13:11:47 MDT
--- CurtAdams@aol.com wrote:
> I think any discussion of transhumanism works to our
> advantage. Nobody will
> claim that
> humans are perfect, so what can any rational person
> say to the idea that we
> should
> improve ourselves and move beyond evil and
> undesirable aspects of humanity?
Thanks, Curt for the comments. One of the things I
have noticed in Fukuyama, et al's discussion of the
implications of future tech, and the media commentary
on same, is that, in their dark prediction that we
will lose our humanity, they presume, not only the
loss, but the loss specifically of that which is good.
They deny the constancy, ubiquity, and 'natural-ness'
of change and growth/improvement. To me this is a
misrepresentation of the cosmic record, the
transhumanist goal, and the history of human intent
and achievement. What humanity--and
transhumanity--seeks to modify are those aspects of
the human condition, internal and external, which need
improving. Certainly, there are varying opinions as
to what these are and what constitutes improvement,
but almost to the last man and woman among six billion
odd, they all want to better the human condition.
Keep the good and make it better; trim the bad. What
goes wrong along the way is not intentional, but
unintended and unforseen.
> The discussion necessarily becomes about what
> aspects of "human" are good and
> what aspects are bad, and what moral methods can
> improve things
The discussion "should" become about that, but the
discussion by Fukuyama et al doesn't go there, in my
opinion, because they are political opportunists not
good faith participants in the discussion. They want
to restrict the discussion--define it in fact-- within
the boundaries of gloom and doom because that serves
their political ambitions. Why should they do
anything at all to suggest that an alternate thesis to
their own even exists? Does it serve them? This is
what I see as the evidence that they have no interest
in the truth--or for that matter, 'the good'-- but are
all about expedience and self-absorbtion.
> - and at that point everyone's a transhumanist.
And at that point everyone else needs to wave goodbye
to the Luddites--leave them standing still in
protest--and move on down the transhumanist--which is
to say
"THE"--road.
Best, Jeff Davis
"You are what you think."
Jeff Davis
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