Milliongenerations:Vision and Values

N.B. The following is under debate and construction, i.e. preliminary. Join the discussion

Objective

milliongenerations

• expects that intelligence can find ways to continue while life is possible
• believes humans and their descendants can and should, too
• hopes that there will be millions of generations with individuals who realize life is wonderful
• thinks this is a precondition to maximizing happiness

Values

milliongenerations assumes that

• Life is wonderful
  • (i.e., the experience of being alive has positive value, and is itself a reason for wonder)

• Life on this planet can continue indefinitely
  • Biological life should be expected to continue on this planet earth for at least another billion years, for practical purposes now, that is indefinitely
  • Note that the existence of life on this planet and/or in the universe might be cut short by God's intervention or other events beyond our control. To avoid ending it ourselves we have to find ways to continue.

• Others exist, and can exist in the future who are able to realize that life is wonderful
  • (this is not only about me)

• There is only one type of human on earth
  • This is not only about my group
  • In just a few generations all descendants are our common descendants

• Human beings are able to be aware and feel happiness (whatever that is), and it is a good thing when they do

• Existence is a necessary precondition for happiness

• Civilization can be useful
  • Civilization allows individuals to refine and pass on knowledge and to collectively apply it.
  • The application of knowledge can lead to a happier life, to letting more individuals exist at any one time and to increase the chances of long term survival of the species

milliongenerations concludes that

• Possible future individuals have a right to existence
  • Future life has value, if it exists, and should not be discounted

• We should strive to maximize happiness

• The vast majority of individuals can exist in the future

• The vast majority of happiness comes from individuals other than ourselves, mostly from individuals living in the future

• We should strive to create conditions to let civilization continue while life is possible on this planet, for at least another billion years

• We should not let technology replace us, as we can never be sure that technology can experience life like we do

Values regarding collaboration

Regarding the collaboration, milliongenerations assumes that

• A huge jump should be envisioned into the future. This jump must be large to make extrapolating the present no longer an option. The perspective of looking back from a future assumed as almost infinite will make conclusions on some issues a lot easier and more convincing than they would be based on projections and help identify principles, necessary requirement for continuation.

• The process of thinking along these lines clarifies the concept of sustainability, the goal of survival of civilizations and the value of life, future life.

• The perspective of the goal to continue civilization and to increase happiness can valuably contribute to a frame of reference by which to define design objectives and policy initiatives and assess proposed solutions independently of particular agendas

• Contributions of many can result in more insights than thinking of one

• Online sharing opens up new, valuable ways of collaboration. Everything should be open and shared to the max.

• With many minds contemplating the subject from a well defined perspective, we can hope for the emergence of viable visions about how civilization could continue beyond the next few generations. Such visions in turn might be more readily adopted and appropriate actions taken if the goal were understood by many. We might find that continuing civilization could actually be feasible after all. It is worth a sincere effort.