From: Ian Goddard (Ian@Goddard.net)
Date: Thu Sep 09 1999 - 12:34:21 MDT
At 08:41 AM 9/9/99 -0700, mark@unicorn.com wrote:
>So, anyway, dumping ExI's implicit libertarian stance in favor of bland
>acceptance of any political viewpoint may have brought in more people, but
>as a (small-l) libertarian, it's been a major loss to me. I hope that
decision
>proves to be worthwhile.
IAN: Promoting technology advance and particularly
technology designed to interface directly with the
human body and/or mind, such as implants, and at
the same time abandoning a strict libertarian
stance is arguably explicitly unethical. Why?
Libertarian principle is the private-property
principle, period. The idea that technological
advances are inherently a boon to humanity is only
as valid as the ethics behind those who operate
and control such technology. If they do not adhere
to the strict private-property principle, the door
is wide open to the subordination of the individual
to "collective interests" as defined by those with
the most power to enforce their definition of the
"collective interest" with the aid of advanced
technology. Based on the track record of human
societies, technology advance minus a strict
adherence to the private-property principle (PPP)
is a recipe for the perfection of absolute tyranny.
While we desire technology advances that will
empower the average individual by fostering
independence from central powers, those in power
are interested in technology that will empower
those in power and foster subservience to them.
Technology and its advance is not inherently
ethical, and thus the anti-Luddite attitude
expressed by Extropians minus the PPP is a
surefire recipe for the worst technological
nightmares that we can't even begin to imagine.
By abandoning strict adherence to the PPP, the
ExI opens the door to making the future a
nightmare, to making technology our enemy.
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