From: Timothy Bates (tbates@karri.bhs.mq.edu.au)
Date: Fri Feb 26 1999 - 21:04:59 MST
Anders Sandberg says
> The genetic explanation is simplistic and simply
> skirts the issue: what systems in our brains produce an urge to
> worship, and why?
Genetic explanations are seldom simplistic and far from skirting issues,
focus in tightly on the answer to your "why" question above.
> I can't see any obvious evolutionary benefit from
> worshipping, so it might be a secondary consequence of other
> features.
Well, excluding the fact that "what I can see" is irrelevant, it almost
certainly is a secondary consequence of a basic advance, and in fact that is
exactly what I argued in my post.
> As I see it, we need to find ways of making extropianism or
> transhumanism as emotionally fulfilling as it is intellectually
> fulfilling. I think it can be done, but it is an unusual (i.e. new)
> use for psychology and critical thinking to come up with it.
My bet, for what it is worth, is that fulfillment awaits a trans-human, a
person who can stand not being touched, who can tolerate the complete
solitude of a mind truly aware of its unique position in the world.
That is why we each of us on this list talk about the weather and go to the
tea room to meet people with whom we mostly disagree, or all the other
little tricks we have set up to give some solace to the intellectual view we
have adopted.
best,
tim
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:03:09 MST