Re: Extropian DOES NOT EQUAL Libertarianism! [was RE: Gore Shocks

From: GBurch1@aol.com
Date: Tue Aug 31 1999 - 18:25:28 MDT


I don't have time to do this subject justice but, for what it's worth, would
like to quickly post a very brief summary of my personal views on the general
topic. In my opinion the basic values and ideas that have been expressed in
the Extropian Principles as they have evolved over time are MOST consistent
with a libertarian political philosophy and maximally free markets as a
"default" approach to economic issues. This does not necessarily mean
"Libertarian Party libertarianism" or anarcho-capitalism, although I think
both are by and large very extropic. As I wrote here at more length a few
months ago, I think that one can hold libertarian political ideals and also
be a minarchist in practice.

I think the Extropian Principles are inconsistent with unchecked central
state authority or the use of coercion against people and groups who mind
their own business or to restrict the rights of individuals to make whatever
contracts they choose to make. I think that someone who holds extropian
values and ideals should by and large take the stance that people who propose
a statist solution to a social problem have the burden of showing how that
proposed solution doesn't do more harm than good by restricting the freedom
of individuals to carry on their lives as they choose. But I'm willing to
listen to a cogently and diplomatically argued case for a statist policy in
any particular instance.

     Greg Burch <GBurch1@aol.com>----<gburch@lockeliddell.com>
     Attorney ::: Vice President, Extropy Institute ::: Wilderness Guide
      http://users.aol.com/gburch1 -or- http://members.aol.com/gburch1
                         "Civilization is protest against nature;
                  progress requires us to take control of evolution."
                                      -- Thomas Huxley



This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Fri Nov 01 2002 - 15:04:58 MST