Re: electronic intelligence and ethics

From: Damien Broderick (d.broderick@english.unimelb.edu.au)
Date: Wed Feb 23 2000 - 20:20:21 MST


At 05:14 PM 23/02/00 -0800, Ziana wrote:

>what if as the
>nano-whatever-you-want-to-call-thems gradually replace
>the neurons with nano-things, you lose the functions
>of those neurons, gradually losing consciousness

What if, as the dentist gradually replaces your decayed tooth with filling,
you lose the ability to eat? What if, as the steel/plastic hip replaces
your old corroded joints, you lose the ability to walk?

Uh, well, no, actually it's quite the reverse.

Wouldn't it be fun if we find that nanoneurodes turn us into wonderfully
superconscious beings who look back on our `natural' life as a stultified
horror story of inward oppression. (Which, after all, is what people such
as Greg Egan and Eliezer reckon is likely.)

Damien



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