# Extropianism
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{{Short description|Stance favoring continuous technological evolution and longer lifespans}}
{{redirect|Extropy|extropy in thermodynamics, biology and information theory|Negentropy}}
{{Transhumanism}}
'''Extropianism''', also referred to as the '''philosophy of extropy''', is an "evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the [human condition](/source/human_condition)".[
{{Cite web
|url= http://www.extropy.org/principles.htm
|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20131015142449/http://extropy.org/principles.htm|archive-date= 2013-10-15
|title= Principles of Extropy (Version 3.11) : An evolving framework of values and standards for continuously improving the human condition
|year=2003 |author= Max More |publisher= Extropy Institute
}}
] extropian thinking places strong emphasis on [rational thinking](/source/rational_thinking) and on practical [optimism](/source/optimism). According to More, these principles "do not specify particular beliefs, technologies, or policies". Extropians share an optimistic view of the [future](/source/future), expecting considerable advances in computational power, [life extension](/source/life_extension), [nanotechnology](/source/nanotechnology) and the like. Many extropians foresee the eventual realization of [indefinite lifespan](/source/indefinite_lifespan)s or [immortality](/source/immortality), and the recovery, thanks to future advances in biomedical technology or [mind uploading](/source/mind_uploading), of those whose bodies/brains have been preserved by means of [cryonics](/source/cryonics).[{{Cite magazine |last=Regis |first=Ed |date=October 1, 1994 |title=Meet the Extropians |url=https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ |access-date=2024-10-24 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}][{{Cite news |last=Prisco |first=Giulio |date=March 4, 2021 |title=The Extropian Roots of Bitcoin |url=https://www.ccn.com/extropian-roots-bitcoin/ |work=CCN}}]
== Extropy ==
The term '''extropy''', as defined by Max More, is "The extent of a living or organizational system’s intelligence, functional order, vitality, and capacity and drive for improvement".[{{Cite web |last=More |first=Max |date=2003 |title=Principles of Extropy {{!}} Version 3.1 |url=http://extropy.org/principles.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030919194923/http://extropy.org/principles.htm |archive-date=2003-09-19 |website=Extropy Institute}}] It means the opposite of [entropy](/source/entropy), metaphorically interpreted as the tendency to degenerate and die out. Extropianism is "the philosophy that seeks to increase extropy".[{{cite web|title=The Alcor Team|url=http://www.alcor.org/AboutAlcor/meetalcorstaff.html|access-date=26 May 2016}}] In 1987, More moved to Los Angeles from [Oxford University](/source/Oxford_University) in England to work on his Ph.D. in philosophy at the [University of Southern California](/source/University_of_Southern_California).[{{Cite web |date=January 5, 1996 |title=Extropianism |url=https://www.mit.edu/people/jpbonsen/extropianism.html |access-date=2024-10-24 |website=www.mit.edu}}] The institute was formed as a transhumanist networking and information center to use current scientific understanding along with critical and creative thinking to define a small set of principles or values that could help make sense of new capabilities opening up to humanity.{{cn|date=March 2024}}
In 2006, the board of directors of the Extropy Institute made a decision to close the organization, stating that its mission was "essentially completed."[{{cite web| publisher = Extropy Institute | title = Next Steps| year = 2006| url = http://www.extropy.org/future.htm| access-date = 2006-05-05| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110225075011/http://www.extropy.org/future.htm| archive-date = 2011-02-25| url-status = dead}}]
In the 90s, the Extropy Institute launched an email mailing [listserv](/source/LISTSERV) through which members could receive updates from the institute and have conversations about extropianism with other members.[{{Cite news |last=Regis |first=Ed |title=Meet the Extropians |url=https://www.wired.com/1994/10/extropians/ |access-date=2025-08-04 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}][{{Cite web |last=Bilyard |first=Dylan |date=2023-01-15 |title=Investigation Launched into Oxford Don’s Racist Email |url=https://theoxfordblue.co.uk/investigation-launched-into-oxford-dons-racist-email/ |access-date=2025-08-04 |website=The Oxford Blue |language=en-GB}}] Notable members include:
* [Julian Assange](/source/Julian_Assange)[{{Cite web |title=Extropy Chat January 2006 |url=https://lists.extropy.org/pipermail/extropy-chat/2006-January.txt}}][{{Cite news |last=Hagey |first=Keach |date=2025-05-20 |title=How Peter Thiel’s Relationship With Eliezer Yudkowsky Launched the AI Revolution |url=https://www.wired.com/story/book-excerpt-the-optimist-open-ai-sam-altman/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250601074843/https://www.wired.com/story/book-excerpt-the-optimist-open-ai-sam-altman/ |archive-date=2025-06-01 |access-date=2025-08-04 |work=WIRED |language=en-US}}]
* [Nick Bostrom](/source/Nick_Bostrom)[{{Cite book |last=Chivers |first=Tom |title=The AI Does Not Hate You: Superintelligence, Rationality and the Race to Save the World |publisher=Weidenfeld & Nicolson |year=2019 |isbn=978-1-4746-0877-0 |location=United Kingdom}}]
* [Eric Drexler](/source/K._Eric_Drexler)[{{Cite news |last=Greenberg |first=Andy |title=Bitcoin's Earliest Adopter Is Cryonically Freezing His Body to See the Future |url=https://www.wired.com/2014/08/hal-finney/ |access-date=2025-08-04 |work=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}]
* [Robin Hanson](/source/Robin_Hanson)[{{Cite journal |last=de Wolf |first=Chana |title=MEMBER PROFILE: Todd Huffman |url=https://www.cryonicsarchive.org/docs/cryonics-magazine-2012-04.pdf#page=18 |url-status=live |journal=Cryronics |publisher=Alcor Life Extension Foundation |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715205916/https://www.cryonicsarchive.org/docs/cryonics-magazine-2012-04.pdf#page=18 |archive-date=July 15, 2023}}]
* [Marvin Minsky](/source/Marvin_Minsky)[{{Cite web |last=Wirdum |first=Aaron Van |date=2024-03-23 |title=How 1990s libertarians laid the groundwork for cryptocurrency |url=https://reason.com/2024/03/23/the-1990s-visionaries-who-saw-the-digital-future/ |access-date=2025-08-04 |website=Reason.com |language=en-US}}]
* [Eliezer Yudkowsky](/source/Eliezer_Yudkowsky)