Re: Upload thought experiment

E. Shaun Russell (e_shaun@uniserve.com)
Tue, 5 Nov 1996 21:27:03 -0800 (PST)


On 05/11/96, James Rogers wrote:

>If the apparatus is actually uploading *your* stream of consciousness, is it
>possible for it to exist in two places at the same time?
>
>Isn't having a single stream of consciousness and having two simultaneous
>instances of a single stream mutually exclusive?
>
>Which instance is really *your* stream of consciousness?

These questions have come up multiple times on the list; I thought I
had answered them, but obviously not well enough. Michael Lorrey did a good
job of explaning, but I'll still try to point out *my* thoughts. Here goes
(in the shortest, most precise words I can find):

Yes, it is possible for *your* consciousness to exist in two places
at one time. Each independent consciousness that acknowledges itself as
*yours* will carry on as if it is *you*. However, each consciousness that
acknowledges itself as *yours* will have different experiences, ultimately
leading to a renewed stream of consciousness. As Michael said, it is
potentially a 'budding' system where all consciousnesses are created as
identical replicas of *you* but stray away to become different *yous* based
on their individual experiences. Okay, so the words weren't so short or
precise...but it's the *thought* that counts --pun intended! :-)

Ingredi Externus!

-E. Shaun Russell

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E. Shaun Russell Extropian poet\musician
e_shaun@uniserve.com
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