From: Paul Hughes (planetp@aci.net)
Date: Wed Feb 25 1998 - 23:52:49 MST
I have pondered with great interest some of the recent postings on the singularity
and post-humanism. One of the passages that caught my eye was by den Otter posted
to the list on Feb 21. It reads as follows:
'Unless trasnhumanists get somehow organized the chances that any of us will make
it past the singularity are close to zero; the powers that be will crush us like
worms. Only (some of) the rich and powerful are going yo make it.'
I have to say I can't argue with this - this seems liek a *very* real scenario.
Does anybody see it differnetly? And if so, how and why have you come to a
different set of conclusions?
What disturbs me most about this scenario, is that it suggests that the future of
life on this planet will primarily descend from 'criminals' that make Chairman
Mao, Stalin or Hitler look like silly sand box bullies. Worst still, if this is
in some way the most common result of natural selection, then it also suggests
that any other life that may populate the universe is also descended, or in fact
*is* of the same "evil/criminal" mindset.
**Please understand that I am trying very hard not to label such acts of global
human genocide as evil in the traditonal moral sense.
Does anyone have any thoughts about this?
Paul Hughes
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