From: Max More (max@maxmore.com)
Date: Sun Mar 07 1999 - 22:23:32 MST
Hey, Eliezer, I think Natasha already has this base covered, although with
a bit more moderation in content, but far more ambitious in range of
distribution -- Natasha's phrase "We Are Transhumans" is well on its way
outward in the solar system aboard the Cassini spacecraft.
Also, this reminds me of The Extropian Declaration that Tom and I wrote way
back in the very early days of Extropy magazine (it was written no later
than 1990, maybe 1989). Remember that we wrote it in the spirit of fun.
(*Please* don't anyone complain about lack of philosophical rigor!) It's
written in the form of a memo to the universe at large.
Onward!
Max
----------------------------
To: The Universe From: T.O. Morrow and Max More
-----------------------------------------------------------------
THE EXTROPIAN DECLARATION
Extropians: Forward! Upward! Outward! Into the future!
We who want to live, we who want freedom, we who want to learn: We
challenge the forces of entropy!
We deny all limitations on our boundless wills: Ignorance, State, Religion
and Death.
We want more intelligence, more power, more liberty. We want more life!
We say: More!
More...about extropy:
Why are we "extropians"? Because we want to survive and prosper in our
often hostile universe. As scientists describe it, our universe naturally
tends toward entropy. It is entropy that breaks down our cars, shorts out
our computers, and withers our flesh. Entropy is the supreme enemy of human
hope.
Extropians hold a consistently anti-entropy point of view. What does
`extropy' mean? Look to its etymology: `Entropy' comes from the Greek `en',
or `in', plus `trepein', or `change'. `Extropy', on the other hand, comes
from `ex', or `out', and `trepein'. Thus while entropy decreases order,
usable energy, and information, extropy increases all three of these goods,
goods that our well-being demands. In a universe threatening to drown us in
a rising tide of disorder, extropy offers us safe passage to higher ground.
Prepare for the future;
It's not going to go away! After wandering along at a slow pace for
centuries, our world has started to enter a period of change that will far
outrace historical standards. The changes occurring in the twentieth
century dwarf those of any previous thousand years, but they only hint at
what the future holds. We face a turning point in history - a time when
artificial ultra-intelligence, nanotechnology, physical immortality, and
other factors promise to radically transform every aspect of our existence.
We are each responsible for preparing ourselves for that future, and for
helping others to understand the coming age.
Ready...set...
We must radically revise our present conceptual frameworks, values, and
expectations if we are to both survive and prosper in the coming age.
Extropians view the future optimistically. Our optimism is a rational
expectation based on the facts coupled with a dynamic attitude towards the
future. Aiming high will help us move upward. Optimism can be
self-fulfilling! We expect great things from the future because we foresee
incredible opportunity, diversity, and beauty. We will have material
abundance beyond our dreams, a pollution-free environment, fantastic
intelligence, the ability to create new worlds, and other wonders yet
untold. We look forward to using these opportunities, and enjoying
ourselves fully in doing so.
Let's Go!
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:03:16 MST