X-Message-Number: 32132
References: <>
Date: Tue, 3 Nov 2009 15:20:46 -0800 (PST)
From: 2Arcturus <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #32126 - #32130

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Message #32126
From: "John de Rivaz" <>
References: <>
Subject: Re: Self Sacrifice
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 12:08:25 -0000

>>>The remit of anyone in authority is to help as many people as possible, not
put a large effort into helping single individuals. 


This really isn't the logic of authority, it is the consequence of an 
application of social utilitarianism to public policy, favored by collectivist 
political factions.


I feel we need to move away from "the greatest good for the greatest number" and
toward "the greatest good for each and every one."


In utilitarianism, there are also background assumptions of inevitable scarcity,
which 'transhumanism' would challenge philosophically.


Every one of us who is decent sacrifices for others every day of our lives. This
is not about whether we should sometimes sacrifice ourselves for others when 
necessary, but whether we should aim for a world in which these sacrifices would
not be necessary.


Those who would like to be harvesting organs for another thousand years, or 
burying people for another million years, have a failure of the imagination, and
a failure of aspiration.



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