EDITORIAL

DATE: August 1 1996

The Cultural Propagation of Transhumanism

Leigh Christian

“Extropy, now eight years old, continues to serve as the only strongly filtered source of extropian thinking.”

Yes, Extropy is back after a delay. Even as Extropy slumbered for a few months, gathering energy for another intellectual leap over human limits, extropian ideas continued rapidly propagating.

Not long ago, the term “extropian” was strange and unfamiliar to almost everyone. Now, not only do we see it hurtling around the Web and appearing in Hip spots like Wired and HotWired, it’s even being considered for the next edition of the Oxford English Dictionary.

The number of forums for extropian and related transhumanist ideas has burgeoned, especially on the Net. Numerous Web sites have sprung up and new e-mail lists formed. The sheer volume and flow of raw ideas can be hard to handle. Extropy, now eight years old, continues to serve as the only strongly filtered source of extropian thinking.

This issue contains the usual diverse range of topics and writers, united by their concerns of overcoming human limits through reason and technology. As I write, the Olympic athletes continue to push back limits to human speed, strength, and agility. USC law professor Michael Shapiro considers the moral and philosophical issues raised by the growing use of performance enhancing substances and treatments, and their possible future developments. A book on a present-day physical performance enhancer, Creatine, is

reviewed in the renamed review section, Discriminator.

Readers who also spend much time on the Net might expect a sympathetic commentary on John Perry Barlow’s Declaration of the Independence of Cyberspace. Instead, Reilly Jones takes Barlow to task in a way differing from other critiques. By an odd coincidence, Barlow also pops up in our report on the sad death of Timothy Leary—a man who gave up on the Life Extension aspect of his SMFLE formula (Space Migration, Intelligence Increase, Life Extension).

Astrophysicist Amara Graps contributes our cover feature: a discussion with astronomer-musician Dr. Fiorella Terenzi, augmented by Amara’s expansion of the conversation.

To continue covering all the ideas, persons, and events furthering extropic goals, we report on two recent conferences, on molecular nanotechnology and life extension. Adding to the balance of future-thinking and application to life today, Peter Voss tells us how to achieve Extropy Now! If this isn’t enough, see the next page for our on-line forums.

Upward and Outward! Max More, Ph.D.

Extropy #18 is scheduled for early 1997.

EXTROPY — the extent of a person’s or a culture’s intelligence, information, vitality, diversity, opportunity and personal growth. Extropians are those who consciously seek to increase extropy. The Extropian Principles are: (1) Boundless Expansion; (2) Self-Transformation; (3) Dynamic Optimism; (4) Intelligent Technology; (5) Spontaneous Order. [See Extropy #11 for Extropian Principles v.2.5, or http://www.primenet.com/~maxmore/extprn26]

TRANSHUMANISM — philosophies of life (such as Extropianism) that seek the continuation and acceleration of our evolution beyond our current human forms and human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by life-promoting principles and values, while avoiding dogma and mysticism.

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EXTROPY #17 H2 ‘96