From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Sat Jan 04 2003 - 15:57:25 MST
Brett writes
> I've read the piece Damien refers too as well. Lyle Burkhead
> looks to me like the sort of guy you might need to be careful
> where you were seen (or more likely overheard talking with)
That's right. Guilt by association is alive and well.
> but on the whole based only on his writing he comes across
> to me as a likeable and intelligent guy wrestling as many
> intelligent folk do with ways to make progress and to improve
> his own and the "human condition".
Nothing, of course, is wrong with that.
> I can imagine his sort easily beneath the... broad
> umbrella of transhumanism I'd approve of.
Are you approving of the notion that someone with such
radical ideas be allowed to be called a transhumanist?
If so, I agree. Do you agree with him or approve of
his viewpoints? I don't.
> I still think it's legitimate to consider differences
> between groups and races.
What do you believe is illegitimate to consider?
> As it happens its not my area of interest but it is not
> invalid per se, or so far as I can see anti-transhumanist
> per se to question whether there are racial differences
> that are significant.
Now, invalidity is another matter altogether! Many will
reasonably claim that supposing that there are racial
differences is as invalid as supposing that the sun
goes around the Earth. They are perfectly entitled to
their opinion.
> Also I'm not sure I'd want to be connected to a belief system
> either, I like Max More's approach to belief systems, as I
> understand it. Beliefs are too [sic] be avoided if possible
> and minimised when not - hence PCR.
I think that it's a weird misuse of language to
suppose that beliefs should be avoided. Just what
are you trying to say? (I too, am a big fan of PCR,
as are many Extropians.)
> ...I can empathise both with those who are concerned
> not to [harm] a good "brand" like ExI, and yet I also
> worry that if criticism, even constructive criticism
> is limited only to those minor matters that even a
> casual reader of the list would not find challenging
> then the health and vibrancy may not be able to be
> achieved.
Yes, quite well put. The best extropian thinkers have
from the outset endorsed this view.
> ...not all newbies to extropian thought will be intellectual
> lightweights and if the material content gets too low or
> sanitised these folk may actually be discouraged rather
> than encouraged.
Quite right!
> ... the fact remains there are strong forces in the
> community acting against the memes and objects of
> extropians and we need robust forums to counter those
> forces and marshal pro-active extropic responses of
> our own. If this list goes too far down the path
> of being a place for casually interested potential
> extropes to sample the fare without being put off,
> it may become less of a forum of interest to those
> extropians willing and able to marshal "political"
> action however gently that word is interpreted.
I think that this has already occurred. I already know
of conversations about extropian topics that have had
to be taken off line because of the "image" it was felt
necessary to show the world.
Lee
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