From: Zero Powers (zero_powers@hotmail.com)
Date: Wed May 29 2002 - 01:19:18 MDT
>From: "Reason" <reason@exratio.com>
>--> Harvey Newstrom
>
> > On Monday, May 27, 2002, at 06:56 am, Reason wrote:
> >
> > The Extropian Principles literally exist and are objectively
> > measurable. I do not see how anybody can argue that they are subjective
> > or unsupportable.
>
>I'm arguing that the Principals contain trends and the expressed desire for
>these trends. It's that desire, approval, rating of Goodness, whatever else
>you want to call it that is subjective. There is no external standard for
>valuing human opinions of a particular entity/ethical ruleset/color/set of
>trends.
Guys, give it up. You are going over ground that has been tilled to little
final effect since before the time of Socrates. There are some who say that
there is an objective and ontological human ethical good. Others will argue
that "man is the measure of all things."
Is it better to actually live an interesting and meaningful (albeit
inconvenient and somewhat dangerous) life, or is it better to live (safely
and conveniently) as a brain in a vat artificially stimulated to believe
that it is living an interesting and meaningful life? There are good
arguments on both sides and, like I say, there has been no clear winner on
either side of this multi-millenia debate. You guys, as able as you are,
are not going to resolve it on this list.
Suffice it to say that there is a consensus here on this list that the
Extropian principles are generally attractive to us. Does that mean they
will necessarily be attractive to all intelligent beings in all places at
all times? Hardly. Of course, we could just write off anyone who takes
issue with the Principles as being unintelligent, but they could just as
easily hurl that ephithet our way and, again, we'll have gotten nowhere.
-Zero
"I'm a seeker too. But my dreams aren't like yours. I can't help thinking
that somewhere in the universe there has to be something better than man.
Has to be." -- George Taylor _Planet of the Apes_ (1968)
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