Abolitionist Society
- This page is dedicated to the project to abolish sentient suffering. For information regarding the abolition of slavery, see abolitionism
The Abolitionist Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the elimination of sentient suffering by means of re-engineering the biological substrates of consciousness, especially the brain. This is to be accomplished with information provided by unprecedented international research in biological fields such as neuroscience, nanotechnology, and genetic engineering - though some think it May Be accomplished through mind uploading. The society was founded in 2002 by Jaime Savage, David Pearce, Pablo Stafforini, and Sean Henderson.
The fundamental belief system underlining this philosophy is that humans (and other animals) have been created by Darwinian evolution to primarily exist for the goal of maximum reproduction, rather than for happiness. As a result, humans in many cases suffer unnecessarily due to their own brain structures and physical limitations, which limit their emotions to a certain spectrum of happiness that they remain in their entire lives, called "baseline happiness." Abolitionists put forth the idea that suffering is a physical, not mental, deficiency. One cannot make themselves better when their physical body will not cooperate. One can only change the physical means of this unhappiness-- for example, with antidepressants that change seratonin reuptake levels. Abolitionists desire to promote this idea that emotions have a physical, not mental, source-- and use it to fundamentally change the way that humans' brains operate and the way that humans experience life. Abolitionists believe that where Darwinian evolution has failed to create happiness for all people, technology can take over and create a new type of human which feels only happiness and never suffers. The Abolitionist Society is dedicated to bringing this idea to fruition.
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is the use of science to maximize happiness and minimize suffering — not just in humans but in all sentient life. It is a philosophy inspired by utilitarian ethics: if happiness equals value, then the elimination of suffering or 'maximization of value' should be the prime objective of the human race.
Abolitionism makes no distinction among sentient creatures — all are deemed worthy of being saved from suffering by biotechnological intervention.
Although similar to Transhumanism, Abolitionism declares that we should not stop at 'better than well' and seeks proof for any reasoning as to why human beings must continue to be designed to suffer.
Abolitionists claim that current and evolving technologies such as genetic engineering, nanotechnology, and advanced selective psychopharmacology will make it possible to infuse every moment of life with experience that is more profoundly ecstatic than anything imaginable today.
The Abolitionist rationale as well as potential strategies for eliminating the substrates of suffering in all sentient life are presented in The Hedonistic Imperative, an Abolitionist manifesto by David Pearce.
Notable Abolitionists
- David Pearce
- James Evans
- James Hughes
- Nick Bostrom
- Pablo Stafforini
- Sean Henderson
Literature relating to the Abolitionist project
- Responses to frequently raised objections to the Abolitionist project
- The Hedonistic Imperative
- Abolitionism and Buddhism
- Critique of Huxley's Brave New World
- On Buddhism and technology
- [http://www.hedweb.com/anaesthesia/index.htmlUtopian Surgery : Early arguments against anaesthesia in surgery, dentistry and childbirth]''
- [http://www.hedweb.com/[...]/index.htmlUtopian Pharmacology : Mental Health in the Third Millennium MDMA and Beyond]''
External links
es:David Pearce fr:Ingénierie du paradis