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Aug. 11th, 2003 01:02 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
beetigerAlthough I really enjoy hanging out and dreaming with people who are, I'm definitely not a transhumanist.
I think one of the reasons probably overlaps with one of the reasons that I'm not a Christian. I'm wary of any philosophy that focuses on the "next world" while not paying enough attention to this one. I'm afraid of feeling disconnected from the things that are right in front of me. I love the warmth of sun and the stars in the sky and the smell of ozone from rain on pavement and the sound of human voices singing, not just because of my experience of them, but because of the mundane conceptual background that tells me that they are there, and real. From this spot in my life, I like the reality that now matters, because we don't have forever. I still really think this is one of the things that drives us to do the work that does, in fact, move our world into the future.
This pregnancy makes me feel very biological. It's draining, in some ways, and I certainly am not happy about the temporary loss of the ability to think as critically as usual, but essentially it's a marvel. There's a groundedness about knowing that my body knows how to make a person, a person who is currently squirming and kicking and is going to do something that I've never dreamed of, in a world I'm never going to see. Check in with me in a few decades and ask again, but right now, I think I'm going to be ready to give the world to him to do that.
Maybe I'm not a transhumanist because I don’t think I'm likely to be as smart as the people who come after me, if I'm willing to step aside and leave them the world to play in. Maybe I'm not a transhumanist because I want to love this life to its fullest, and I really don't believe we are ready to succeed in time for me to realize those dream, and that fills me with frustration, rather than anticipation. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to be living in a body that mostly works. Maybe I'm just not very ambitious.
But I don't see much of a point in living forever if we haven't even figured out yet how to fully live right here, right now.
I think one of the reasons probably overlaps with one of the reasons that I'm not a Christian. I'm wary of any philosophy that focuses on the "next world" while not paying enough attention to this one. I'm afraid of feeling disconnected from the things that are right in front of me. I love the warmth of sun and the stars in the sky and the smell of ozone from rain on pavement and the sound of human voices singing, not just because of my experience of them, but because of the mundane conceptual background that tells me that they are there, and real. From this spot in my life, I like the reality that now matters, because we don't have forever. I still really think this is one of the things that drives us to do the work that does, in fact, move our world into the future.
This pregnancy makes me feel very biological. It's draining, in some ways, and I certainly am not happy about the temporary loss of the ability to think as critically as usual, but essentially it's a marvel. There's a groundedness about knowing that my body knows how to make a person, a person who is currently squirming and kicking and is going to do something that I've never dreamed of, in a world I'm never going to see. Check in with me in a few decades and ask again, but right now, I think I'm going to be ready to give the world to him to do that.
Maybe I'm not a transhumanist because I don’t think I'm likely to be as smart as the people who come after me, if I'm willing to step aside and leave them the world to play in. Maybe I'm not a transhumanist because I want to love this life to its fullest, and I really don't believe we are ready to succeed in time for me to realize those dream, and that fills me with frustration, rather than anticipation. Maybe I'm just lucky enough to be living in a body that mostly works. Maybe I'm just not very ambitious.
But I don't see much of a point in living forever if we haven't even figured out yet how to fully live right here, right now.
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no subject
Date: 2003-08-11 06:45 pm (UTC)OTOH, I am a transhumanist for exactly this reason. I love the sensations of the world and being in it. I in no way wish to give that up. What I want (in order of preference) is:
1) Physical immortality, so I will have time to watch redwoods grow and (f possible) stars age and time to experience all the wonder there is in this world. Naturally, vastly enhanced healing, immunity to all diseases and suchlike would be included in this.
2) A perfect memory, so I will never forget any of these wonders and so that I can forever hang onto everything that I have learned.
3) Increased intelligence so that I can understand myself, the world, and other sentient beings better.
4) Dramatically enhanced senses so that I can experience more of the world.
Other techno-fripperies like neural jacks would be nice, but are not terribly high priorities for me.
In part the difference between us may be that while I firmly believe in reincarnation, it is also completely irrelevant to me on any sort of personal or emotional level. Clearly, memory either does not survive or survives at most in small and disconnected fragments. Therefore by all of my definitions, I end with my death and whatever continues on is in no way me. I am not willing to accept that and instead wish to be immortal so that I can keep being, learning, understanding, and caring.
Transhumanism (and a more general belief that "natural" in no way necessarily means better) is another reason (in addition to issues with the way Wicca privileges gender duality) that I no longer consider myself to be Wiccan.
In any case, I'm not living my life for the future, I'm simply hoping that it continues in the future and looking into reasonable options that may make that happen. In what way might this disconnect me from the world?