Re: physical pain is bad (was Re: Dynamic ethics)

From: Jeff Medina (analyticphilosophy@gmail.com)
Date: Mon Jan 23 2006 - 15:31:21 MST


Michael Roy Ames said:
> The suffering of wild animals is not a problem that requires a
> solution. The obliteration of ecosystems along with the attendant loss of
> knowledge, of biodiversity, and of the beauty we see in them *is* a real and
> pressing problem.

This is an excellent summation of one of the 'bioconservative'
responses to transhumanism more generally. "The suffering of humans is
not a problem that requires a solution; we will disrupt society (i.e.
the human ecosystem), lose knowledge, lose diversity, lose 'beautiful
pain/melancholy/heartache/etc.'"

So, now, assuming you aren't against the whole H+/S'n "death and
suffering are unnecessary and must be defeated" deal, why in the world
are you drawing a line between wild animals that happen to be
human-ish and wild animals that are less so?

--
Jeff Medina
http://www.painfullyclear.com/
Community Director
Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence
http://www.intelligence.org/
Relationships & Community Fellow
Institute for Ethics & Emerging Technologies
http://www.ieet.org/
School of Philosophy, Birkbeck, University of London
http://www.bbk.ac.uk/phil/


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