Extropianism

Extropianism, also referred to as the philosophy of extropy, is an evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the human condition. Extropians believe that advances in science and technology will some day let people live indefinitely and that humans alive today have a good chance of seeing that day. An extropian may wish to contribute to this goal, e.g. by doing research and development or volunteering to test new technology.

Extropianism describes a pragmatic consilience of transhumanist thought guided by a proactionary approach to human evolution and progress.

Originated by a set of principles developed by Dr. Max More, The Principles of Extropy, extropian thinking places strong emphasis on rational thinking and practical optimism. According to More, these principles "do not specify particular beliefs, technologies, or policies". Extropians share an optimistic view of the future, expecting considerable advances in computational power, life extension, nanotechnology and the like. Many extropians foresee the eventual realization of unlimited maximum life spans, and the recovery, thanks to future advances in biomedical technology, of those whose bodies/brains have been preserved by means of cryonics.

Extropy, coined by Tom Bell (T. O. Morrow) in January 1988, is defined as the extent of a living or organizational system's intelligence, functional order, vitality, energy, life, experience, and capacity and drive for improvement and growth. Extropy expresses a metaphor, rather than serving as a technical term, and so is not simply the hypothetical opposite of Information entropy.

The Extropy Institute
In 1987, Max More moved to Los Angeles from Oxford University in England, where he had helped to establish (along with Michael Price, Garret Smyth and Luigi Warren) the first European cryonics organization, known as Mizar Limited (later Alcor UK), to work on his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Southern California.

In 1988, "Extropy: The Journal of Transhumanist Thought" was first published. This brought together thinkers with interests in artificial intelligence, nanotechnology, genetic engineering, life extension, mind uploading, idea futures, robotics, space exploration, memetics, and the politics and economics of transhumanism. Alternative media organizations soon began reviewing the magazine, and it attracted interest from likeminded thinkers. Later, More and Bell co-founded the Extropy Institute, a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization. "ExI" was formed as a transhumanist networking and information center to use current scientific understanding along with critical and creative thinking to define a small set of principles or values that could help make sense of new capabilities opening up to humanity.

The Extropy Institute's email list was launched in 1991 (and, as of August 2009, continues to exist as "Extropy-Chat"), and in 1992 the institute began producing the first conferences on transhumanism. Affiliate members throughout the world began organizing their own transhumanist groups. Extro Conferences, meetings, parties, on-line debates, and documentaries continue to spread transhumanism to the public.

The Internet soon became the most fertile breeding ground for people interested in exploring transhumanist ideas, with the availability of websites for such organizations that have joined the Extropy Institute in developing and advocating transhumanist (and related) ideas. These include Humanity+, the Alcor Life Extension Foundation, the Life Extension Foundation, Foresight Institute, Transhumanist Arts & Culture, The Extropist Examiner, the Immortality Institute, Betterhumans, Aleph in Sweden, the Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and the Institute for Ethics and Emerging Technologies.

In 2006 the board of directors of the Extropy Institute made a decision to close the organisation, stating that its mission was "essentially completed."

Extropism
Extropism is a modern derivative of the transhumanist philosophy of Extropianism. It follows in the same tradition, hence the similarity of name, but has been revised to better suit the paradigms of the 21st century. It promotes an optimistic futuristic philosophy that can be summed up in the following phrases.


 * Perpetual Progress
 * Self-Transformation
 * Practical Optimism
 * Intelligent Technology
 * Open Society - information and democracy
 * Self-Direction
 * Rational Thinking

These key points, when taken together, formulate a philosophy and world view which embraces bio-ethical abolitionism, life extension, singularitarianism, technogaianism, freedom of information and several other related disciplines and philosophies. While it does not make a firm political stance, it is most closely related to libertarianism and left-wing politics. Philosophically, it draws from the philosophy of Jeremy Bentham and utilitarianism.

Extropists desire to prolong their life span to a near-immortal state and exist in a world where artificial intelligence and robotics have made work irrelevant. As in utilitarianism, the purpose of one's life should be to increase the overall happiness of all creatures on Earth through cooperation.

The Extropist Manifesto, written by Breki Tomasson and Hank Hyena of The Extropist Examiner in January 2010, details the ways in which Extropism has evolved away from, while building upon the original tenets of Extropianism. For example, it moves away from the original Extropian Principles in its significant focus on the need to abolish and/or restrict the current use of surveillance, copyright and patents. This philosophy, inspired in part by the philosophy of the Pirate Party, is one of the five basic tenets of the Extropist philosophy, falling under the category "Overcoming Property". Other noteworthy topics that appear frequently in Extropist writings is the focus on equal rights for gay/lesbian couples and a general distaste for religiosity.