EDITORIAL

MORE CHANGES

Extropy sees further evolution with this issue. The most obvious change is the shift to a full size 8.5” x 11” format. The new format, consistent with that of major publications, should help in the expansion of shop distribution and sales. Comments on and suggestions for further improvements in Extropy’s format – in addition to its content – are always welcome.

Next issue will see some changes as a result of Extropy Institute’s new publication, Exponent. Exponent will appear bi-monthly in newsletter format. It will feature reviews of fiction and non-fiction books, movies, magazines, and software. Exponent will also carry the Intelligence At Work science updates column that has previously appeared here, and a section presenting skeptical analyses of environmental issues.

Extropy will no longer carry many book reviews, though it will still carry longer reviews and review essays. This publication will specialize in detailed explanations and analyses of topics of interest to Extropians: Life extension, cryonics, intelligence increasing technologies, advanced computing, neural-computer integration, memetic analysis, nanotechnology, space habitation, self-transformative psychological techniques, artificial life, electronic communications, computational markets (digital economy), and the limits of physics.

THIS ISSUE

The Extropian Principles is a revised version of the Principles that appeared three years ago in Extropy #6. The new version adds the principle of spontaneous order, since it’s clear that spontaneously ordering processes are an essential element of the Extropian worldview – as explained at length in “Order Without Orderers” in Extropy #7 (Spring 1991). Explanations of the principles have been expanded and some new suggested readings added to the list.

“Extropy Institute Launches” announces the incorporation of the Extropy Institute (ExI) and some of its projects.

David Ross provides a lucid and helpful discussion of uploading – the transfer of a human’s consciousness into a computer, responding to those who doubt it to be possible and determining the conditions that are necessary for it to be achieved.

J. Storrs Hall, in “Nanotechnology and Faith” looks at different ways of thinking about nanotechnology, warning us against allowing our thinking to become religious in nature.

“The Making of a Small World” is a delightful piece of short fiction by Mike Perry. You may want to pass this around your non-immortalist friends.

Simon! D. Levy continues his Neurocomputation series with an introduction to genetic algorithms, yet another computational application of spontaneous ordering.

Roboticist Hans Moravec, author of the classic extropian book Mind Children, explains the ways in which physics might allow time travel, and shows how this might be applied to solving otherwise intractable computational problems.

The Futique Neologisms series continues this issue, with a further installment of new terms for thinking about the future.

In “Exercise and Longevity”, Fran Finney reviews the scientific evidence for the life-extending effects of exercise.

The Transhuman Taste contains four reviews: David Krieger reviews The Anthropic Cosmological Principle, a lengthy work examining cosmological questions with a decidedly Extropian perspective. Simon! D. Levy reviews evolutionary biologist Richard Dawkin’s The Blind Watchmaker – a brilliant exposition of evolutionary theory and how it explains life far better than religious myths. I review three of economist Julian Simon’s books in “Economist Against the Apocalyptics.” Simon’s works provide a needed counterpoint to environmentalist doomsayers. Finally, Harry Shapiro reviews Bionomics, which draws parallels between biology and economy.

IN FUTURE ISSUES

The long-awaited articles on the future of electronic communications, and on digital economy (personal communication encryption, digital money), should be appearing soon.

#10 will see an exposition of the Extropian principle of Self-Transformation, examining its psychological, philosophical, and technological aspects.

The next issue will also feature another piece by leading roboticist Hans Moravec on our expansion into the cosmos.

Expect to see a memetic analysis of the spread of Extropian ideas.

Other possibilities include an introduction to molecular-scale computing, analyses of environmental issues, applications of personal identity theory, and discussions of intellectual property and “the Singularity”.

[Continued on p.11]

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) Intelligent Technology; (4) Spontaneous Order; (5) Dynamic Optimism.

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.

EXTROPY #9 Summer 1992

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