Max More

Max More at the 2006 Stanford Singularity Summit.

Max More (born January 1964) is a philosopher and futurist who writes, speaks, and consults on advanced decision-making about emerging technologies.^[1][2]

Born in Bristol, England, More has a degree in Philosophy, Politics and Economics from St Anne’s College, Oxford University (1987).^{[citation needed]} His 1995 University of Southern California doctoral dissertation "The Diachronic Self: Identity, Continuity, and Transformation" examined several issues that concern transhumanists, including the nature of death, and what it is about each individual that continues despite great change over time.^{[citation needed]}

Founder of the Extropy Institute, Max More has written many articles espousing the philosophy of transhumanism and the transhumanist philosophy of extropy, most importantly his Principles of Extropy (currently version 3.11).^[3] In a 1990 essay "Transhumanism: Toward a Futurist Philosophy", he introduced the term "transhumanism" in its modern sense.

More is also noted for his writings about the impact of new and emerging technologies on businesses and other organizations. His "Proactionary Principle" is intended as a balanced guide to the risks and benefits of technological innovation.

Until 1989, Max More published under his former name, Max T. O'Connor.

At the start of 2011, Max More became president and CEO of the Alcor Life Extension Foundation — the largest provider of cryopreservation services in the world — an organization he first joined in 1986.

Quotes

"We have achieved two of the three alchemists' dreams: We have transmuted the elements and learned to fly. Immortality is next." — Max More, On becoming posthuman.

"No more gods, no more faith, no more timid holding back. Let us blast out of our old forms, our ignorance, our weakness, and our mortality. The future belongs to posthumanity." — Max More, On becoming posthuman.

"People’s freedom to innovate technologically is highly valuable, even critical, to humanity. This implies a range of responsibilities for those considering whether and how to develop, deploy, or restrict new technologies. Assess risks and opportunities using an objective, open, and comprehensive, yet simple decision process based on science rather than collective emotional reactions. Account for the costs of restrictions and lost opportunities as fully as direct effects. Favor measures that are proportionate to the probability and magnitude of impacts, and that have the highest payoff relative to their costs. Give a high priority to people’s freedom to learn, innovate, and advance." — Max More, The Proactionary Principle.

See also

Transhumanism Extropy Institute FM-2030

Futures studies Natasha Vita-More Proactionary principle

References

1. ^ Alex Heard, "Technology Makes us Optimistic; They Want To Live," New York Times, September 28, 1997
2. ^ Joel Garreau, The Next Generation; Biotechnology May Make Superhero Fantasy a Reality, Washington Post, April 26, 2002.
3. ^ Resources for Germline Technology, Washington Post, February 9, 2003.

External links

• Personal website
• Business futurist Thought Leader bio
• Principles of Extropy, version 3.1
• Proactionary Principle
• “Max More: Transhumanist Mainman”, NeoFiles interview by RU Sirius
• “Max More and Ray Kurzweil on the Singularity”
• CNN Crossfire debate with Jonathan Moreno
• The Transhumanists. Meet Max and Natasha. They hope to live forever. Seriously, by Brendan Bernhard

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Name	More, Max
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Date of birth	1964
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