From: Brent Allsop (allsop@fc.hp.com)
Date: Thu Jul 13 2000 - 14:00:53 MDT
hal@finney.org responded:
> It seems almost comical to consider these questions. Uploads
> somehow don't fit into the world as we know it.
Within the idea of an "upload" is still contained a similar
size/complexity identity as a single conscious person, even though
this person is virtual or more or less independent of the particular
hardware. But this is only a small fraction of the problem.
Once we can upload we'll also be able to enlarge/share
conscious experience. For example, imagine a brain being enhanced
(including additional visual cortexes, auditory systems, tactile
awareness cortexes...) to not only have conscious knowledge of the
feelings going on in you're physical body but also of what is going on
in another's body / brain / consciousness all integrated into one
subjective awareness. When having sex, for example, you experience all
the sensations / awareness going on, not just half of them like we are
limited to today.
But this still isn't "sharing" consciousness. This is just
augmenting you're brain so you can feel the same thing you're partner
is aware of, if they are willing to open a neural sensor channel to
you're augmented awareness cortex that can handle it and make you
conscious of both at the same time. What happens when we actually
merge, share, and grow actual consciousness awareness of two conscious
uploads or people or whatever? Perhaps in some virtual brain located
in some stationary physical vault, occasionally moving to another
vault/brain that is better, cheaper, in some more accommodating
country or whatever, communicating with 4 or 5 or more now remotely
controlled copies of the original being's bodies out doing the actual
living in various parts of the solar system...
The entire concept of what a "person" or "upload" is quickly
becomes meaningless, making almost everything in today's person based
society, very "comical". But that doesn't mean there will not be
infinitely more meaning in that brave new world of discovery and
shared experience we find... as we all grow and merge to likely
ultimately become one supper all powerful all knowing all aware being.
Surely it will simply follow the corporate model. How big can
a company get? How interdependent and part of each other can
companies become? Do big companies make it impossible for small
companies to exist? The size of a company is somewhat limited by
technology, ability to communicate and so on. Similarly, the size of
conscious entities is limited by our ability to enginer ever larger
conscious / shared brains right? As we grow, split, merge, just like
in the corporate world, you legally define how you want things to work
as you do this and legally set things up according to how you want
things to happen, limited only by what technology can do, until
technology grows and much more is possible so you do it all again...
Brent Allsop
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