Artists for Smart Biotechnology! Press Release

Vital ProgresExtropy Institute Announces
Vital Progress Summit

AUSTIN, TEXAS - FEB 14, 2004 - Futurists Challenge President Bush's
Bioethics Council

The Vital Progress (VP) Summit announces today that it plans to deliver a=

"ProActionary Statement" to counter two things: Beyond Therapy the
ultraconservative report from President Bush's Bioethics Council; and the=

use of the "Precautionary Principle" as a rallying point to turn people
against the science, medicine and biotechnology that could cure disease and=

improve life.

President Natasha Vita-More says, "I have a right to make my own choice
about my future health. No one has the right to tell me I must go into old=

age crippled or senile. No organization, no policy, no person should not=

stand rigidly in the way of science and medicine that can help people in
need throughout the world."

Extropy Institute Sponsors Vital Progress Summit to Protect Human Rights
for Our Future.
Negative reaction to the possibility of fundamental progress in these
fields threatens to stifle innovations that can make major improvements in=

the quality of life of people throughout the world. Extropy Institute
encourages critical and creative thinking about the ideas, sciences, and
technologies that will help people, our society, and the world.

Extropy Institute has made a name for itself as an intellectual networking=

and educational organization, encouraging cultural foresight about profound=

technology-driven change. The Institute pursues this mission by integrating=

scholarship in the areas of philosophy, technology and culture. Biomedical=

and supporting technologies appear to be on the verge of greatly extending=

our ability to affect the genetic, neurological, and biological factors
that too often make "the human condition" one of frailty, dysfunction, and=

suffering. The resulting uncertainties and opportunities have generated
both hope and fear. The Vital Progress Summit will generate productive and=

progressive thinking to address reasonable concerns and to counter those
may have an interest in fanning the flames of fear.

VITAL PROGRESS (VP) SUMMIT EVENT
The VP Summit will take place February 15 29, 2004 on the Internet. Keynote=

participants will author statements to focus the discussions. Catalyst
participants will discuss and debate the statements as well as author their=

own comments, and all other participants will be able to contribute their=

thoughts. Extropy Institute's goal is to weave these inputs together to
create a responsible viewpoint on progress with critical analysis and
careful assessment.

SUMMIT OUTCOME - WHAT WE WILL PRODUCE.
Although the Vital Progress Summit forms just the first phase in a
continuing project, we aim to achieve distinct, practical results. Early
deliverables expected from the February summit include a crisp and concise=

response to the Precautionary Principle, a policy and values statement to=

counter "Beyond Therapy", and a comprehensive collection of links to
organizations, journalists, publications, and educational groups favoring=

cautious and responsible but resolute advancement. Following the VP Summit,=

we plan to develop school and college course materials to be used in
bioethics and humanities curriculum.

About Extropy Institute
Extropy Institute is a non-profit 501©3 organization. Extropy Institute=

sees enormous potential in advanced decision making and strategic thinking=

to accelerate humanity's resolution of fundamental problems.

In pursuit of its mission, Extropy Institute assembles individuals from
diverse domains of expertise. We gather these daring thinkers to combine
creative and executive approaches to expose the fundamental roots of our
problems. We see multi- faceted, solution-seeking approach as the best way=

to create a vitally better future.

Public Relations
Jason Fulbright
Media Consultant
email: <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected]
voice: 512.263.2749

Extropy Institute is a non-profit 501©3 organization. Membership dues are=

tax-exempt. ("ExI") materials on the Web are