X-Message-Number: 21478
From: "mike99" <>
Subject: RE: Bill McKibben's book msg. #21471
Date: Wed, 26 Mar 2003 11:49:13 -0700

The quintessential McKibben idea, as expressed in the Publishers Weekly
review, has to be this:

>[McKibben] "We need to do an unlikely thing: We need to survey
> the world we now inhabit and proclaim it good. Good enough." McKibben
> presents an uncompromising view, and an essential view. Readers will come
> away from his latest brilliantly provocative work shaking their
> heads at the
> possible future he portrays, yet understanding that becoming a pain-free,
> all-but-immortal, genetically enhanced semi-robot may be deeply
> unsatisfactory compared to being an ordinary man or woman who has
> faced his
> or her fear of death to relish what is.


On the contrary, I think many people (although probably not many who would
waste their precious time reading McKibben's book) would say that becoming
"a pain-free, all-but-immortal, genetically enhanced semi-robot" is (to
borrow a phrase from Shakespeare) 'a consummation devoutly to be wished.'

I look at it his way: If one accepts the selfish gene theory, we are already
semi-robots of a biological variety. Becoming pain-free, all-but-immortal,
genetically enhanced versions of what we already are is clearly a better
option than remaining the pained, mortal, genetically defective semi-robots
we are now.

What I want is for the two options to become real. Let those of us who
choose to change have the freedom to become greater-than-human (pain-free,
all-but-immortal, genetically enhanced, etc.). Then let other humans see
what we have become and decide for themselves whether or not they would like
to become like us. The great danger is that people like McKibben and Bill
Joy will prevent any of us from becoming posthuman. Then there will be no
inspiring and attractive posthuman examples.

Freedom is our friend. If we are free to change, many others will follow our
lead. But if we are blocked, then those who blocked us will claim (and
themselves believe) that they have saved humanity. And no counterexamples
will be around to prove them wrong.


Regards,
Michael LaTorra




Member:
Extropy Institute: www.extropy.org
World Transhumanist Association: www.transhumanism.org
Alcor Life Extension Foundation: www.alcor.org
Society for Technical Communication: www.stc.org

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