Milliongenerations talk:Vision and Values

THIS IS A DISCUSSION PAGE. Please add, kindly do not remove or substantially alter other's contributions but add your own, possibly with arguments why it is superior. Preferably sign with date.

---

the following is an old discussion that had previously been on Milliongenerations talk:Foundation. It was moved here, as it belongs to the Vision and Values page. --Michael 19:55, 5 October 2009 (UTC)

Drafts for a Vision statement

• milliongenerations expects that intelligence can find ways to continue while life is possible and believes humans and their descendants can, too.

Alternatively:

• milliongenerations expects that intelligence and life are compatible
• milliongenerations is based on the expectation that intelligence can find ways to continue while life is possible
• The goal of milliongenerations is to find ways for intelligence to exist while life is possible
• milliongenerations is based on the hope that intelligence and life can coexist permanently
• The goal of milliongenerations is to find ways for intelligence to increase while life is possible
• The goal of milliongenerations is that while life is possible on this planet there will be at least one civilization evolved from today's with individuals realizing that life is wonderful.
• instead of "while life is possible on this planet" could be "in a billion years".
• The goal of milliongenerations is to maximize happiness.

Ideas for a statement of values

milliongenerations assumes that

• Life is wonderful (i.e., the experience of being alive has positive value and is itself a reason for wonder)
• Others exist and can exist in the future who are able to feel the same way (this is not only about me)

• Biological life should be expected to continue on this planet earth for at least another billion years (it might be cut short by God's intervention or other events beyond our control, but ending it shouldn't be our own doing)

• In the long run any descendants are our common descendants (this is not only about my group)
• There is only one type of human on earth

• Human beings are able to feel happiness (whatever that is), and it is a good thing when they do
• Existence is a necessary precondition for happiness
• 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

• 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 thus 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

Regarding the collaboration, milliongenerations assumes that

• 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.
• 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
• 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.

Unique Selling Points of MG (USPs)

Another way to talk about Values and Vision of MG is to discuss what makes is distinct from other initiatives and institutions. What are MGs USPs? A first attempt.

MG imples that:

• Everything is open and shared to the max. Meaning for starters that meetings/discussions/initiatives are shared on the web and open for discussion.
• A huge jump is envisioned into the future. This jump is that large that extrapolating the present is no longer an issue.
• Everything initiated from the MG concept should include some reference to million. The "million" as such does not have a special significance, it is a tool to help us break out of the planning and extrapolation perspective. Plus repeated use can also provide recognizability.