From: Max More (maxmore@globalpac.com)
Date: Mon Oct 19 1998 - 17:59:17 MDT
At 11:49 AM 10/19/98 -0700, Robin wrote:
>Phil goetz writes:
>>> Transhumanism is the idea that new technologies are likely
>>> to change the world so much in the next century or two that
>>> our descendants will in many ways no longer be "human."
>>
>>The use of the word "descendants" is problematical.
>
>Why? Don't you think we will have descendants?
Perhaps what Phil meant (at least what I would mean had I said this!) is
that transhumanists do not merely say that our descendents will no longer
be human, but that, if we're lucky, *we* ourselves may be no longer human.
By putting "descendants" into the definition, you're unnecessarily
restricting it.
>>I know lots of people who believe that a big technology-induced change
>>is coming, and that technology is a terrible thing.
>
>Where are their web pages? Where are their thoughtful articles?
They might exist, yet not have web pages and thoughtful articles. There
certainly are plenty of such people. One writer who comes to mind is the
Christian fundamentalist Texe Marrs. In his book Mega Forces he seems to
expect many of the technologies we talk about, but it's certainly not a
good thing from his point of view, except in so far as it's a sign of the
End Times that will provoke God to return to Earth... Also, I have found
plenty of people who, when I explain transhumanist expectations for the
future, seem to accept that they are possible and likely and yet who find
the idea repellant. I must have come across hundreds of these responses
when giving talks and in classes I teach.
I do think that there is a strong positive correlation between confidence
that these transhuman changes will happen, and a favorable attitude towards
them. But this is far from a perfect correlation.
Max
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Max More, Ph.D.
more@extropy.org (soon also: <max@maxmore.com>)
http://www.maxmore.com
Consulting services on the impact of advanced technologies
President, Extropy Institute:
exi-info@extropy.org, http://www.extropy.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 14:49:39 MST