EDITORIAL

Extropy Expands:

In the six months since the last issue, Extropy and related extropian activities have been expanding. The Editorial Committee continues to grow, helping to ensure accuracy and quality in the material appearing here. As circulation continues to grow and distribution through retail outlets expands, the appearance of Extropy is being refined. Next issue is likely to see a move to the larger, standard format of 8.5 x 11”.

As a journal of transhumanist thought, it would be anachronistic if Extropy were limited to traditional paper media. The emergence of the Extropians e-mail list in the summer of this year was therefore especially appropriate and encouraging. Several of us — Extropians connected by e-mail — had discussed the idea of an e-mail list; Perry Metzger was the one to set it up on an MIT host computer.

The forum was an immediate hit, at first almost overwhelming the participants with sometimes over a hundred messages a day. The volume of input has now calmed down to manageable levels but continues to serve as an excellent nexus for the exchange of information on smart drugs, cryonics, life extension techniques, books of appeal to Extropians, and for engaging in conversations on uploading, memetics, spontaneous orders, and innumerable other tantalizing topics.

The common features of the participants are a fundamental agreement on an Extropian

approach to life, and a high level of intelligence and learning. If you want to be on the extreme leading edge of evolution, the Extropians e-mail list is the place to be! We are all grateful to Perry, and now David Krieger, for putting in substantial time managing the list. Information on how to join can be found on p.48.

One result of the networking enabled by the e-mail list was the genesis of local Extropian celebratory gatherings — social occasions for Extropians to meet each other in person and have some fun. I held the first of these in Los Angeles, and we continue to meet here, the latest occasion will be the Extropy #8 Release Party. East Coast Extropians have met and plans for a group in England and various parts of the U.S.A. are underway. If you would like to know if there other Extropians near you, contact me. As current participants can attest, meeting a group of people with whom you have so much in common is certainly a refreshingly different experience.

Another expansion of Extropian activity into the electronic realm is in the early planning stages: An electronic Extropy is being planned, the first issue of which may be available for #10, due out in November 1992. This will be available both in Macintosh HyperCard Stack and in Windows Toolbook formats. In response to several requests, I will try to make Extropy available on disk during 1992. If you would be interested in these versions, please let me know.

EXTROPY and TRANSHUMANISM: EXTROPY — the process of increasing intelligence, information, energy, life, experience, diversity, opportunity and growth. Extropianism is the philosophy that seeks to increase extropy. The Extropian Principles are: (1) Boundless Expansion; (2) Self-Transformation; (3) Dynamic Optimism; (4) Cooperative Diversity.

TRANSHUMANISM—Philosophies of life (such as Extropianism) that seek the continuation and acceleration of the evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by progressive principles and values, while rejecting dogma and religion.

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To provide Extropians with an effective instrument for exchanging information and developing shared interests, and to accelerate the advance of extropian ideas and projects into the rest of the world, a new organization will be formed. The Extropy Institute (EXI — pronounced “ex-I”) will apply for incorporation in early 1992 and should be operational by the time Extropy #9 appears in May.

Although making progress financially, Extropy is still running at a loss, and the incorporation of EXI will incur further expenses, though costs will be limited by incorporating without using a lawyer. I encourage you to support and join our efforts in proportion to their value to you and your projects. One way is to take out a five-year, ten-year or lifetime subscription (see p.2), or to make a donation towards EXI office equipment. As EXI gets underway, we will develop a range of services and activities for both Extropians and potential Extropians. Stay tuned!

This Issue:

The sunburst on the cover represents the brilliance of the future being created by Extropians as well as the Principle of Dynamic Optimism which I analyze and explicate. The Extropian Principles are not now, and never shall be, in final, perfected form. In accordance with the Extropian emphasis on continual improvement, refinements to this statement of our philosophy will continue to be made whenever appropriate.

Robin Hanson, AI researcher and social epistemologist, contributes “Idea Futures” - an innovative, insightful and exciting application of spontaneous orders to the search for more accurate and rational ways of reaching a consensus on scientific and technical questions. EXI can function an appropriate instrument for the implementation of real idea futures as a means of optimizing the social use of information.

Simon! D. Levy explains artificial life, one of science’s increasingly successful attempts to replicate and surpass nature’s evolution of lifeforms, a field that raises questions about the boundary between life and non-life, and between simulation and reality. “Futique Neologisms 2” expands the

lexicon of useful and playful terms for transhumanist thinking, while my “Human-Transhuman-Post-human” suggests guidelines for some of these core terms. Tom W. Bell’s “Extropia” presents a sweeping vision of a possible future for Extropians wanting to be free to maximize their values in an ever-evolving community. This issue is rounded out by reviews of the new popular book on nanotechnology by Eric Drexler (and co-writers Peterson and Pergamit), and two highly extropic SF novels, as well as selected items of news.

Extropy #9 (Summer 1992) dates:

Deadline for written

submissions:

February 29 1992

#9 to be mailed:

Early May 1992

Forthcoming in #9 and beyond:

An overview of the Extropy Institute (EXI) — our purpose, goals, method of organization, and opportunities for your participation; Following this issue’s analysis and explanation of the Extropian Principle of Dynamic Optimism, #9 will develop the Principle of Self-Transformation; A new version of the Extropian Principles is also likely (the original version appeared in Extropy #6, Summer 1990); Simon! D. Levy’s informative Neurocomputing series will continue, this time explaining genetic algorithms — one of the ways in which computer programs are becoming more lifelike.

Other topics to look for are the present and future of electronic communications, the evolution of human-computer integration, critical vs uncritical attitudes towards nanotechnology, computer data encryption, molecular computing, and a weighty section of book reviews and news of important technological advances.

Until next time — be excellent!

Max More

Editor

Print run for first edition of Extropy #8: 500

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