Extropianism, also known as the philosophy of extropy, is an evolving framework aimed at continuously improving the human condition. Founded on principles developed by Max More in The Principles of Extropy, it emphasizes rational thinking and practical optimism. Extropians believe that future advances in life extension, nanotechnology, and computational power will enable indefinite lifespans or even immortality. Many support emerging technologies like mind uploading and cryonics, aiming to preserve and later restore those whose bodies or brains have been preserved. Extropians actively engage in research, development, and testing to help realize this optimistic vision of the future.
Extropy
The term extropy, as defined by Max More, is "The extent of a living or organizational system’s intelligence, functional order, vitality, and capacity and drive for improvement".5 It means the opposite of entropy, metaphorically interpreted as the tendency to degenerate and die out. Extropianism is "the philosophy that seeks to increase extropy".6
Extropy Institute
In 1986, More joined Alcor, a cryonics company, and helped establish (along with Michael Price, Garret Smyth and Luigi Warren) the first European cryonics organization, Mizar Limited (later Alcor UK).7 In 1987, More moved to Los Angeles from Oxford University in England to work on his Ph.D. in philosophy at the University of Southern California.8
In 1988, Extropy: The Journal of Transhumanist Thought was first published. (For the first few issues, it was "Extropy: Vaccine for Future Shock".) 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 like-minded thinkers. Later, More and Tom Bell co-founded the Extropy Institute (ExI), a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization.910 The institute 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.
In 2006, the board of directors of the Extropy Institute made a decision to close the organisation, stating that its mission was "essentially completed."11
See also
- Biopunk movement
- Cyborg anthropology
- Democratic transhumanism
- Eclipse Phase, a tabletop game which uses the philosophy in its futuristic setting.
- Effective accelerationism
- Futures studies
- Holism
- Omega Point
- Meliorism
- Negentropy
- Posthuman
- Proactionary Principle
- Russian Cosmism
- Sustainability
- Systems philosophy
- Systems thinking
- Transhumanism
External links
- Kevin Kelly on Extropy - Kevin Kelly at The Technium, August 29, 2009
- "Transhumanism's Extropy Institute - Transhumanism for a better future". Retrieved 1 August 2013.
- "Extropian, Transhuman, and Future Tech Sites". Nanotechnology Now.
References
Max More (2003). "Principles of Extropy (Version 3.11) : An evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the human condition". Extropy Institute. Archived from the original on 2013-10-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015142449/http://extropy.org/principles.htm ↩
Max More (2003). "Principles of Extropy (Version 3.11) : An evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the human condition". Extropy Institute. Archived from the original on 2013-10-15. https://web.archive.org/web/20131015142449/http://extropy.org/principles.htm ↩
Regis, Ed (October 1, 1994). "Meet the Extropians". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-10-24. https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ ↩
Prisco, Giulio (March 4, 2021). "The Extropian Roots of Bitcoin". CCN. https://www.ccn.com/extropian-roots-bitcoin/ ↩
More, Max (2003). "Principles of Extropy | Version 3.1". Extropy Institute. Archived from the original on 2003-09-19. http://web.archive.org/web/20030919194923/http://extropy.org/principles.htm ↩
Regis, Ed (October 1, 1994). "Meet the Extropians". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-10-24. https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ ↩
"The Alcor Team". Retrieved 26 May 2016. http://www.alcor.org/AboutAlcor/meetalcorstaff.html ↩
Regis, Ed (October 1, 1994). "Meet the Extropians". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-10-24. https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ ↩
Regis, Ed (October 1, 1994). "Meet the Extropians". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved 2024-10-24. https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ ↩
"Extropianism". www.mit.edu. January 5, 1996. Retrieved 2024-10-24. https://www.mit.edu/people/jpbonsen/extropianism.html ↩
"Next Steps". Extropy Institute. 2006. Archived from the original on 2011-02-25. Retrieved 2006-05-05. https://web.archive.org/web/20110225075011/http://www.extropy.org/future.htm ↩