From: The Baileys (nanotech@cwix.com)
Date: Wed Jan 06 1999 - 01:54:38 MST
Brian Atkins wrote:
>Who cares what "human" means? Why does that keep getting asked
>(as a reason not to do it) when people start talking about
>becoming transhuman? Too many Star Trek memes?
If we follow the principle of reductionism to its logical end then we are
not properly classified as "humans" but instead "conscious intelligent
minds". Our classification as homo sapiens is due to the organic prosthesis
the forces of evolution have developed over time. The success of uploading
or instantiation would be the ultimate proof of this viewpoint. If we are
able to preserve our identity without any of the past organic trappings
developed by the forces of evolution then we will confirm this approach.
However, I do not believe "human" is used in the term "transhumanism" in the
exact biological sense. The term "human" has developed a considerable
amount of alternate meanings in general vernacular, i.e. the idea that to be
"human" means to be conscious or possessing a certain degree of intelligence
or a subscribing to a certain set of ethical or moral standards. In that
sense, I believe, transhumanism finds its meaning as a vehicle to explore
being "human" without being confined by the prosthesis I mentioned earlier.
Doug Bailey
doug.bailey@ey.com
nanotech@cwix.com
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