This letter was written on August 20, 1996 to Max More, president of the Extropy Institute and editor of Extropy. His writings include "On Becoming Posthuman" and "Extropian Principles," which herald biological and neurological augmentation. You might also want to read his article on Transhumanism, which deals with the progress of humanity into its evolutionary future, raising the possibility that religion actually hinders that progression.
Saw what you wrote in HotWired ("At What Cost Transhumanity?", available in Archives after this week), had a few thoughts to run by you if you don't mind(forget my password to post on Threads!). You said: >The Xian notion of surviving without any body is indeed nonsense. I ask--have you ever found proof of this impossibility? If not, then how can you, as a scientific thinker, dismiss the possibility? I, in fact, have experienced quite the opposite. As someone who has had an out of body experience (both before and after I had read about what they are) , I can say that physical awareness changes but does not disappear with the separation of "self" and body. Since I always thought it would be cool to be like a bird, and flying was not a sensation my body would allow me to experience, I was actually quite pleased with the sensations of being body-less. I don't think putting my consciousness into a mechanical form that allowed me to fly would have given me the same sense of having no constraints, existing in the same space as the air itself, anymore than how I still sense a separation from the earth even as I walk on it. Pure energy blends into other energy more seamlessly than things of matter. Physical sensation was definitely stronger upon reconnecting, though (I felt a very strong electrical shock type charge when it all came back together). But as an actress, I can say that sense memory is so close to actual experience as to have the differences be barely perceptible--I would imagine the same is true for people who have lost a "limb" but still "remember" it being there. I'm actually not all that into extensive technological extropy, because I feel it is unnecessary to extend the corporal form beyond its natural life (I'm glad Tim Leary decided the same--or at least that his particular group were a bunch of idiots who couldn't be trusted to handle the real issues). To enhance the life that we have, to lengthen it and expand upon the quality of it, sure, but I believe that the limits of humanity in its current form are temporary and will disappear once we have achieved the knowledge of consciousness needed to move on to boundlessness that right now the human mind can barely comprehend (the age old question, what exactly IS infinity?) The fact is we experience our physical sensations in our brain--good sex doesn't happen where you put your hands and mouth etc. but actually happens in your conciousness, when you "feel". I believe that technology such as the Internet, and the other techo-tools you describe, are humanity's way of engineering its own evolution by getting used to a sense of energy without attached form as an equally valid way to exist, but I also believe that ultimately this evolution will occur from within us, and technology will, too, have outlived its usefulness. I consider being confined to a computer or mechanical "form" as burdensome as being confined to a body. The true transhumanity starts when we require nothing but ourselves. Changing containers is just a step in proving that it is the contents, not the container, that actually matters. When death is not death, but only natural progression to freedom--that is when humanity will have transcended to a new level--as long we still must rely on external objects to achieve these goals, we will never truly be free. You said: >In early steps towards becoming posthuman I > foresee an enhancement of the biological > body and brain through biotechnology and > through technological implants, including > computing devices, artificial senses, and > enhanced reality. In the longer run, I > expect we will migrate our physical, > cognitive, and psychological functions > entirely off the vulnerable biological > platform. What makes you think that cutting edge technology, which by the nature of what you are trying to accomplish with it must be what is used here, is any less vulnerable? I've had ISDN connectivity kinks for the last three days off and on. Shit happens when stuff is new. Even when stuff is "established." I once joked to Tim upon him losing a train of thought how I wished there was a "find file" button for the brain--but the truth is, the damn button doesn't even always work on my computer and its been in place there to fulfill that function for which it was designed for some time now. Surely stability upon which human life can RELY will have been thousands of years in the making--coming from within us, not without. I'm not saying that the tools you are talking of creating are not worth pursuing; I'm just saying that I hope you don't impose limitations when there need be none. Tying oneself to an external form, no matter how high-tech, is not the transcendence that I dream of; nor I suspect, what you wish for either. Annointing Technology as the new God is no substitute for independence. Any barrier to merging/interacting with the consciousness of humanity as a group and the Universe as a whole, is just that, a barrier. I encourage you to study psychic disciplines if you don't already. Progress is being made--our minds are evolving--perhaps into using the percentage of our brain we currently do not. Man cannot fashion better than Nature--it's been at it way longer than we. We can only come up with interim means until the next best thing kicks in. I hope you keep the spirit of innovation and enthusiasm for technology you obviously have, but in your zeal for progress, please don't lose sight of the desirable end and get all wrapped up in the means. Where we are, after all, is what really counts, not how we get there (assuming positive methods all the way around of course). Thanks for participating in the HotWired forum and in humanity's progression to the next "best thing". Caryn Anyone who wants to respond to this can do so by sending mail to caryn@caryn.com. I get a lot of email, so it might take me a while to respond, but I'll try and I'd love to hear your thoughts at the very least!! More links of interest: Transhumanist Art Headquarters |
