From: Anders Sandberg (asa@nada.kth.se)
Date: Thu Jul 17 2003 - 03:15:10 MDT
On Wed, Jul 16, 2003 at 07:38:09PM -0700, Spike wrote:
>
> Dynamic and practical optimism
> has been more difficult in the last couple years,
> has it not?
Interesting point. I think this is part of the truth (I see the average
mood of the computer science students at the Institute every day), but
it is also a hint that we might be better off without "fair weather
extropians". There was a technological determinism-optimism of 90s
transhumanism that I have come to think of as both naive and
passivating. It is not dynamic optimism: it is passive optimism. If
the singularity is coming and Wired is always right, what use is there
of doing anything except cheerleading?
Dynamic optimism is about actually doing something constructive. Sure,
the IT sector is not doing great. But then we better invent new killer
apps or find ways of using the existing in better ways. With cheap
programming labor many new projects can be implemented that were too
expensive before. Cryonics doesn't work? Too bad, let's find another
solution. People are not acknowledging Drexler in nanotechnology? Write
papers that do. Investments went bad? Start over, a bit more cautiously.
Biotech is under regulatory and luddite attack. So? Go out and defend
it!
I found Dr. Bainbridge's talk at TransVision 03 very constructive
(http://www.transhumanism.com/articles_more.php?id=697_0_4_0_M). We are
getting challenged, now we better respond.
Personally I am *more* optimistic about the transhuman future today than
I was just three years ago. We are finally starting to grow up.
-- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension! asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~asa/ GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Thu Jul 17 2003 - 03:20:21 MDT