Time for the upload to eternity- in about 50 years?

Discussion of the nature of Ultimate Reality and the path to Enlightenment.
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fontana
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Time for the upload to eternity- in about 50 years?

Post by fontana »

I've heard that we're not too far from being able to upload our consciousness to a substance with greater durability than our withering brains. Just think of the implications of a new world that can allow our consciousnesses to live forever without the strife that we endure as human beings.

I imagine transferring my "self" to a humanoid. I would only make the move if I were given enhanced mental abilities- might as well upload all of the knowledge known to mankind. My mood gauge would be set on manic with no consequences of dropping down into a depression. Of course, as a robot man, I wouldn't be subject to the pain and degradation that occurs naturally. Maybe after a few hundred years I could get moved to a newer model. Oh, and all along the way, I plan to accept updates as needed.

Oh crap, my wife just told me they just made a movie of this.

It's just as they say, "average minds think alike, dammit."
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Diebert van Rhijn
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Re: Time for the upload to eternity- in about 50 years?

Post by Diebert van Rhijn »

This idea has been part of the science fiction lore since many decades including many movies. I think recently Michio Kaku has been vocal about it.

My question is: would this really address suffering? Homo Sapiens has "uploaded" animal consciousness already in a social, artificial organization where technology protects and facilitates us resulting in many dangers, diseases and conflict to be removed from a modern life. And yet our psychological suffering does not appear to have diminished much. Although it's impossible to measure this really.

Is it really pain and degradation which is the problem for humanity? What about stupidity, lack of common sense? If everyone occupies some android body wouldn't there be concerns about maintenance and upgrades? Boredom? Conflicts about android policies? Computer viruses, hackers? Resources still needed to fuel everything?

Sorry to burst the bubble but it seems to create new problems in the same rate as it solves the old ones. Just look at those movies! Nevertheless, I do think all our activities seem to point to this kind of future. It will change the nature of what "human being" is, to the point of oblivion, because of all the modifications possible to mind and body in that case. The human body is what still provides some shifty boundary and identity right now. What happens if that's taken out of the equation?
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Tomas
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Re: Time for the upload to eternity- in about 50 years?

Post by Tomas »

fontana wrote: 1. -- I've heard that we're not too far from being able to upload our consciousness to a substance with greater durability than our withering brains. Just think of the implications of a new world that can allow our consciousnesses to live forever without the strife that we endure as human beings.

2. -- I imagine transferring my "self" to a humanoid. I would only make the move if I were given enhanced mental abilities- might as well upload all of the knowledge known to mankind. My mood gauge would be set on manic with no consequences of dropping down into a depression. Of course, as a robot man, I wouldn't be subject to the pain and degradation that occurs naturally. Maybe after a few hundred years I could get moved to a newer model. Oh, and all along the way, I plan to accept updates as needed.

3. -- Oh crap, my wife just told me they just made a movie of this.

4. -- It's just as they say, "average minds think alike, dammit."
1. -- And when we are unconscious, there is nothing but slumber and the occasional dream.

2. That's why I smoke the occasional marijuana (cannabis) joint.

3. -- MY wife and I made a movie when we were age 16, now, we have seven movies (children) and the fun and entertainment never cease.

4. -- Better an average mind to correspond with than a hungry lion.
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Gregory
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Re: Time for the upload to eternity- in about 50 years?

Post by Gregory »

fontana wrote:I've heard that we're not too far from being able to upload our consciousness to a substance with greater durability than our withering brains. Just think of the implications of a new world that can allow our consciousnesses to live forever without the strife that we endure as human beings.
I personally have not read any journals or scientific discoveries corresponding with this. Crediting your sources goes quite a long way in convincing your audience! Any how, as a computer science major, I would go as far as to inferring that software (the human mind and its memories) and hardware (the human body) can be copied or replicated, but that does not result in an identical form of life, which our experiences with identical twins and cloning seem to denote.
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