Saturday, September 26, 2015

269. The Posthuman Relationships

The Posthuman Relationships is a book written by Ultimate philosopher Ganbaatar and subsequently released onto the mesh as an open-source project. Ganbaatar predicts that transhumanity will be splitting into subgroups, becoming very different kinds of posthumans as each pursues their own methods of transcendence, or is left behind. The Posthuman Relationships were written to help maintain peace in those times, allowing for violence only as a last resort of self-defense, and while maximizing mutual coherence

Inspired by the Five Bonds of Confucianism, Ganbaatar identified basic types of relationships and how they could be maintained even between very different beings. A formal system is more likely to be understood by many types of minds than what seems natural and intuitive to only one.

Employer and Employee: The most straightforward relationship. Recommendations are for a formal contract, thoroughly negotiated so as to ensure a fair deal, with each party understanding their obligations. If this can be accomplished, all that must be done is abide by the contract. If the two parties are so different that this cannot be done, no contract can be valid, and inaction is advised.

Governor and Governed: Ganbaatar defines these relationships as those in which one party has voluntarily ceded a degree of autonomy to another. Like between employers and employees, a written contract is recommended, explicitly outlining the power the governor is to attain over the governed, and what duties or responsibilities will follow. Both parties have the right to withdraw from the relationship at any time, with the governed having the right to resist even with violence if their autonomy is not respected.

Progenitor and Progeny: These are relationships of parents and their children, originals and their forks, and scientists and uplifts. Creators have a duty to take care of their created. Whatever potential they have for intelligence, education, or skill should be explored. The created have the right to assert their independence, with the understanding that this ends the responsibilities of the creator.

Transcended and Not: Relations between those who are so far beyond each other, so different, that mutual comprehension is impossible or unreliable, particularly when one party has significantly greater intelligence or capabilities than the other. In these cases, it is the duty of the transcendent party to respect the autonomy of the simpler party, only interfering if requested to do so.

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