Unabomber publishing first book

[n2doc]

rom behind bars, former academic sets out the Luddite philosophy behind his murderous anti-technology campaign

By Guy Adams in Los Angeles

His last published work was a 35,000-word "manifesto" that explained the motivation behind the 17-year terrorist campaign which made him one of America's most wanted men. Now, unperturbed by the fact that the manifesto's appearance led to his eventual identification, arrest and imprisonment for life, Theodore Kaczynski has decided to release his first book.

Compiled largely in his cell in a maximum-security facility at Florence, Colorado, the paperback Technological Slavery further explains the philosophy behind Kaczynski's attempts, through a long-running series of bomb attacks, to destroy Western civilisation.

The strangely coherent text has been co-authored by David Skrbina, a professor at the University of Michigan who has for several years taught classes on the Unabomber manifesto as part of an undergraduate course on the philosophy of technology.

It contains a collection of essays and correspondence with academics in which Kaczynski expands on the beliefs that inspired his campaign: namely that, to quote one passage, "the industrial revolution and its consequences have been a disaster for the human race" and that technological advances are destroying the planet and eroding human freedoms.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/unabomber-aims-for-bestseller-with-green-book-2096274.html

[Odin2005]

1. I'm suprised the technophobes don't worship this lunatic.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

2. Technophobes : Unabomber :: Racists : KKK

i.e., not smart to publicly endorse.

[Odin2005]

4. I remember running to a documentary on Youtube...

...which makes it quite clear that he considers Transhumanists like myself to be evil.

[Posteritatis]

10. Him, Fukuyama...

Given the people who freak out the loudest about the concept, I definitely think they're something to be said about the prayer "Lord, make my enemies ridiculous." ;)

[Odin2005]

11. Yup, Fukuyama seriously thinks that Transhumanism is a danger to human rights.

:banghead:

[Posteritatis]

13. He actually considers it the most dangerous idea in human history

Delicious hyperbole is delicious.

(It's a pity he's so 'round the bend in that department; his critique of neoconservatism he wrote a few years ago was interesting, especially since he was one of the founding members of same.)

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

15. I don't know you, but couldn't a person who operates a cataract or puts a pin in their leg...

...be considered "transhumanist"?

[Odin2005]

16. In a way, yes.

which is why I consider opposition to enhancement to be ridiculous, based on a essentialistic bio-centric conception of "human nature" and "personhood". I fully expect these types to oppress and treat like shit any sapient AI.

[Posteritatis]

17. Extent and intent probably matter

Your question's actually the source of some substantial discussion among transhumanists and others. There's people who think owning a cellphone is enough to start blurring the line; my own opinion on that varies depending on my mood.

Personally (as someone who also identifies as transhumanist), I generally see distinctions between, say, getting glasses because my eyes suck, and having my eyes augmented via implants or straight-out replacement or the like because I see the baseline quality of vision as inadequate. One's trying to repair a defect, and one's trying to go beyond normal capabilities.

[Posteritatis]

3. Some do. (nt)

[Codeine]

5. I'm sure he has his DU admirers.

Totally awesome snarkiness deleted.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

6. That was completely unnecessary.

[Codeine]

7. Perhaps. nt

[Odin2005]

8. I would delete the reference to the poster if I were you...

:yoiks:

[hlthe2b]

18. I admire his brother...

who had the courage, morality, good sense-- to turn him in.

[KurtNYC]

9. it will take years for monks to copy all the text from original to copies

but seriously, this guy is a murderer and a terrorist -- how philosophical is THAT ?! Look what HE did with technology -- made and mailed small bombs. He should have pleaded insanity and entered the manifesto as evidence.

[Odin2005]

12. But he is NOT insane, he is, in fact, perfectly sane.

He is an intelligent and logical mathematician. He took his ideas to their logical conclusion.

[hunter]

14. Arrrrghhhh. Don't even joke.

Theodore Kaczynski will probably be some kind of saint in the 23rd century, right alongside Mel "Mad Max" Gibson.

[ProgRock8]

19. Can't deny that he is an intelligent man

[Vickers]

20. Not smart enough to stay out of the pokey. n/t