Thomas comments on Only humans can have human values - Less Wrong

34 Post author: PhilGoetz 26 April 2010 06:57PM

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Comment author: Thomas 26 April 2010 09:36:55PM -1 points [-]

I don't see those utopias as some high tech societies. Their technology is only a doll linear extension of the today enviro technologies. A dream of some moderate Green, perhaps. Not an ultra-tech at all!

To become an immortal posthuman or something in line with that, that could be labeled as a (medium range) high tech of the future. But this is in a deep conflict with the Green vision which wants us to be born and to die like every other decent animal, until Mother Nature decides to wipe us all out. Meantime, we are obliged to manufacture some eco friendly filters and such crap.

Greens (as Nazis) have values bigger than our civilized life. For the Greens it's the beloved Mother Nature, not at all degraded by us. For the Nazis it's some half naked warriors from the myths, racially pure, living in a pristine fatherland with some Roman architecture added.

Both are retro movements, two escapes to the legendary past, from the evil civilization of today.

Comment author: Tyrrell_McAllister 26 April 2010 10:33:22PM *  4 points [-]

To become an immortal posthuman or something in line with that, that could be labeled as a (medium range) high tech of the future. But this is in a deep conflict with the Green vision which wants us to be born and to die like every other decent animal, until Mother Nature decides to wipe us all out.

Human immortality is uncomfortable to almost all non-transhumanists. Almost everyone has convinced themselves that getting hit with a baseball bat is a good thing (to use Eliezer's metaphor). This isn't specifically a Green problem. Greens might have some unique objections to immortality, such as fear of overpopulation, but they aren't uniquely opposed to immortality per se.