From: E. Shaun Russell (e_shaun@uniserve.com)
Date: Mon Feb 22 1999 - 00:55:15 MST
Tim Bates wrote:
>If you really want that sentence then it really should read
>
>"Extropianism has no bearing on political philosophy. While many
>extropians are libertarian, the Extropian philosophy is fully compatible
>with communism, facism, and anarchy."
>
>If Extropy really has no bearing on politic[al] philosophy, then this
>sentence, which many including me would want to say is false, would stand
>as true. Is that the case?
No. Extropy itself is separate from any politic; like objectivism
and other philosophies, it is a philosophy which is comprised of certain
facets --in the case of Extropy, these are the Principles. If a person was
to claim to be both an extropian and a communist, the facets of the
political party would be in obvious conflict with the Principles of
Extropy. In other words, it would be a contradiction. Extropy has no
political agenda whatsoever. The Extropy Institute is a non-profit
organization which promotes the growth of Extropy.
The question of libertarian compatibility with Extropy is one which
frequently arises, yet seems to be rarely understood. Extropy has no
association with the Libertarian Party, although many extropians would vote
for this party if there was a member in their riding. Nothing in the
premises of the Libertarian Party's political agenda is in conflict with
the Extropian Principles --no contradictions can occur. As for the
libertarian
philosophy, there have been very few tangible guidelines as to what the
philosophy is in the first place. Generally, libertarians are against the
initiation of violence, and against government intrusion into the privacy of
civilians. However, other than these and other generalities, there are no
set guidelines for the libertarian philosophy --a beautiful building with a
weak foundation. Because of this, those who are in accordance with the
Extropian Principles may also see themselves as libertarians as well.
On the issue of the wording of the FAQ, the aim of the FAQ is to
provide newcomers with a solid understanding of the stand Extropy takes on
a variety of issues. For those who wish to read deeply into the way each
sentence is written, there will always be a certain amount of androgyny in
each word or phrase. The FAQ should provide a high degree of clarity,
though those looking for alternate interpretations will find them if they
are clever enough.
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:03:07 MST