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What ever happened to the transhumanists?

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Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#411

Post by nemo44x »

Barrin92 wrote: post #125
filoeleven wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

From the manifesto: > But it is obvious that modern [REDACTED] philoso- phers are not simply cool-headed logicians systematically analyzing the foundations of knowledge. They are deeply involved emotionally in their attack on truth and reality. They attack these concepts because of their own psycho- logical needs. For one thing, their attack is an outlet for hostility, and, to the extent that it is successful, it sat…

I always find this kind of argument ironic because one, it's obviously intensely psychological itself, as are most philosophical attitudes (which does little to disqualify them) and secondly if you just were to take postmodern philosophy as a predictive science I don't think any discipline has been more prescient in describing our current condition.

For certain things it’s really good. “Simulation and Simulacra” is a really good one and I think describes the world today well - and part of our frustration with it. Nothing is real anymore and nothing can be.

It’s why McMansions exist. The simulate the ornate, large home of the mid/late 19th century.

Bacon flavored toothpaste simulates the idea of bacon, etc. we are just drenched in irony.

I think where post modernism goes wrong though is it’s conclusions. Nothing matters, nothing is real, decay is all that can happen.

It’s just not true.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#412

Post by yarg »

the_omegist wrote: post #278
LesZedCB wrote: post #264

Earlier quoted context omitted.

sorry, you just disagree with them being happy even if it makes them infertile. classic intellectually dishonest HN concern troll

The classical consumerist hedonist mentality : if they are happy then who can say anything about that ? Well it seems you're the one trolling here. If you deny the right to people to have opinions and judgments based on their beliefs about anything they wish, you're doing worse than you complain about.

He's actually putting words in my mouth again; I really have no problem with people having a sex change.

Acceptance was a vital social step, but promotion crosses a line for me - and there are severe deleterious consequences are ignored and dismissed by the community.

I think in general the answer is to let kids be themselves and not to judge them for it; give them a say in their clothes and toys - and do not punish them for their selection.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#413

Post by stubish »

peteradio wrote: post #206
stubish wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Salami tactics (Yes Minister) would work around this. Replace and extend your brain and nervous system small parts at a time. Until one day you are entirely hardware, and thus your consciousness entirely software. Continuity of consciousness remains uninterrupted.

Sure, as soon as you offload your conscience though I think you are dead.

Plug your brainbox into a bigger computer. Start offloading bits at a time. Expand your mind. Switch off brainbox.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#414

Post by nathanaldensr »

zemvpferreira wrote: post #392
bart_spoon wrote: post #379

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Argue based on some extreme strawman You yourself are arguing based on an extreme straw man here. Does that make you a neo-nazi as well? Interestingly, I think you illustrate another important factor in anti-transgender resistance: a subsection of proponents are extremely quick on the trigger to accuse any disagreement of being bigoted, hateful, violent, and, as you have, fascist. This does nothing but drive increa…

Hear hear. bart_spoon shaped a thought I had but could never crystallize. I'm a hetero cisgendered man that is positive to neutral on trans issues. But I cringe whenever I hear most pro-trans speech and will not stand behind it. Why be so quick to paint anyone who has any reservations about this as genocidal? This is literally the behaviour that pushes me further to the right.

I had a to leave a Discord server where the owner would respond to trolls with statements like "everyone wants us dead." It happened with increasing frequency and was very unsettling. I couldn't bear to be around someone who saw evil around every corner like that.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#415

Post by nathanaldensr »

mensetmanusman wrote: post #169
armchairhacker wrote: post #14

"Transhumanism" is already here, in a way. We have medications including some complex drugs, most people at least take multi-vitamins, we have surgeries and sometimes do weird stuff like transplant limbs or faces. Even simpler, we have knowledge of diet and health which lets us stay in better shape than before (though a lot of people are in worse shape due to junk food...we have access to high-protein diets and effec…

I never knew the bar was so low as to include taking vitamins. Once we are all transhumanist no one is a transhumanist.

We used to just call this "evolution." In today's climate of labels-over-substance, however, it's not fashionable to do that.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#416

Post by NateEag »

trasz wrote: post #395
NateEag wrote: post #207

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Heh - this sounds kind of like theism. :)

Except that I'm not talking about some mythical "supreme beings", I'm talking about things that we've ourselves created. When you look at politics, you'll see that in many countries, from USA to Russia, "collective interest" matter more than those of humans; from corporations "sponsoring" regulations, to steadily lowering life quality and, at the same time, skyrocketing company income.

Oh, okay.

I personally wouldn't have called those things "intelligences" - more like clashes of unintended perverse incentives and ignored negative externalities.

That said, I didn't think you were talking about a hypothetical deity - it's just what your metaphor made me think of.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#417

Post by nathanaldensr »

kerblang wrote: post #76

I have no problem with enhancing our lives thru technology, but seeking eternal life in this universe is incredibly stupid because you're effectively seeking eternal damnation. Eventually someone captures you, locks you away and tortures you for thousands of years if not forever. Creating heaven is hard, but hell is well within reach.

Considering transhumanism is one of the most, if not the most, egocentric philosophies out there, I'd say it's a near certainty to lead to authoritarian existence.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#418

Post by adrianN »

cycomanic wrote: post #347
adrianN wrote: post #233

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a big fraction of the anti-transgender movement is not against adults modifying their bodies, but against a) children modifying their bodies, b) persons with modified bodies claiming to be the opposite gender thanks to their modifications (or indeed, before any modification). They probably would have much less of a problem with an adult replacing one of their eyes with an x-ray camera or whatever.

Quoted post unavailable.

I consider myself to be quite far on the left side of the political spectrum.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#419

Post by fastball »

matthewmacleod wrote: post #375
zo1 wrote: post #343

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Quoted post unavailable.

I just realized a lot of the pro arguments for some of these newer things like trans et al are essentially dependent on gaslighting the "rest of us". E.g. having us deny basic biology and twisting it with weird re-definitions of existing terms. I’d encourage you to check your assumptions on that realisation buddy, because it ain’t really right. The specific terms you are using there—“gaslighting”, “deny basic biology…

> - Most people also have an internal gender identity of themselves as a man or a woman, which is a bit of a fuzzy concept but seems to be something innate along the lines of sexuality.

I personally haven't seen any evidence that gender identity is innate in a way that doesn't relate to biological sex.

Re: What ever happened to the transhumanists?

#420

Post by trasz »

NateEag wrote: post #416
trasz wrote: post #395

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Except that I'm not talking about some mythical "supreme beings", I'm talking about things that we've ourselves created. When you look at politics, you'll see that in many countries, from USA to Russia, "collective interest" matter more than those of humans; from corporations "sponsoring" regulations, to steadily lowering life quality and, at the same time, skyrocketing company income.

Oh, okay. I personally wouldn't have called those things "intelligences" - more like clashes of unintended perverse incentives and ignored negative externalities. That said, I didn't think you were talking about a hypothetical deity - it's just what your metaphor made me think of.

>I personally wouldn't have called those things "intelligences"

Why, though? By which criteria they are not intelligent beings?

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