Abolitionist Society
Encyclopedia : A : AB : ABO : 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 brain. This is to be accomplished with information provided by research in biological fields such as neuroscience and genetic engineering - though a minority think it may be accomplished through mind uploading. The society was founded in 2002 by Jaime Savage, David Pearce, Pablo Stafforini, and Sean Henderson.
Abolitionism
Abolitionism is the use of science to maximize pleasure/eliminate suffering — not just in humans but in all sentient life. It is a philosophy inspired by utilitarian ethic : if happiness equals value, then the elimination of suffering or 'maximization of value' should be our prime objective.Abolitionism makes no distinction among sentient creatures — all are deemed worthy of being saved from suffering by biotechnological intervention.
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
- Jaime Savage
- James Evans
- James Hughes
- Nick Bostrom
- Pablo Stafforini
- Russel Ward
- 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]
- [Utopian Surgery : Early arguments against anaesthesia in surgery, dentistry and childbirth]''
- [Utopian Pharmacology : Mental Health in the Third Millennium MDMA and Beyond]''
External links
- [The Abolitionist Society]
- [BLTC Research]
- [David Pearce's collection of Abolitionist websites]
- [The Elata Foundation]
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