From: Smigrodzki, Rafal (SmigrodzkiR@MSX.UPMC.EDU)
Date: Sun Jun 03 2001 - 10:30:24 MDT
> my original consciousness could be moved into and merged with
> my copy's
> consciousness (whatever the hell that means).
There is some reification of an abstract idea here. Conciousness, according
to recent neurological research, is the product of functioning of a number
of nervous system parts - e.g. parabrachial nucleus (necessary to stay
conscious), parts of thalamus, and cortical areas, for example the ACC -
anterior cingulate cortex. It is a function, not a "thing". In evolutionary
terms, consciousness developed as means of monitoring of internal processes,
related to long-term maintenance of bodily integrity. It allows us to focus
information processing to stay alive, by binding information about the
status of the body (hungry?) with higher-level processes (buy groceries -
make more money!). It calls our attention to any potential situation where
our body might be damaged, and the information processing terminated. Those
who didn't care about their survival usually failed to pass on their genes
and have offspring with similar ideas. Your abhorrence to teleportation is
partially due to very ancient parts of your brain protesting at the idea of
their destruction. However, other parts of the brain, dealing with abstract
"third person" analysis of the mind (perhaps the frontopolar cortex?) can
accept different models of identity - as it happened in the minds of many
people, including mine. And if the teleportation works as advertised, my
genes will be fine, too.
Rafal Smigrodzki MD-PhD
Dept Neurology University of Pittsburgh
smigrodzkir@msx.upmc.edu
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