From: QueeneMUSE@aol.com
Date: Sun Sep 08 1996 - 17:07:58 MDT
In a message dated 96-09-08 03:44:16 EDT, you write:
<< Aack! Hell no - I love my body! Uploading for the purpose of making
flesh or
> uber-flesh backups are the goal I would relish, not some virtual
existential
> hell or heaven.
Rich>>> Hmmm, why is that? I don't actually understand this sentiment. No
matter how wonderful our current bodies may be, surely it is easy to
conceive of
forms of existence that are not just superior but immensely more so? As
for virtual vs. real, that's a continuous spectrum of incarnations, not
black or white. Furthermore, anything that one may "relish" about one's
human body and one's human emotional machinery applies just as much and
more to whatever form one chooses to create artifically. Why then this
bias towards the terribly limited bodies provided by nature?
>>
Good question, I think about it a lot. Yes it is limiting, I am aware of
that. If you want to understand this sentiment, I will try and
explain....mostly it is because I am still attached to it! I am in love
with my body. It is still a vaible possiblity to live in, learn with, and
have a lot of fun in!
I am not eager to "leave this world" I like it! VR worlds sound great, but I
like Real reality - as flawed as it is.
And you say it is easy to *concieve* of thsese things, in some ways,
offhandedly- I agree, but when I actually *ponder*it < i am not quite so
seduced by VR/ uploaded reality worlds... we will see how I change about that
if it actually becomes an option.
You know Rich - I love LIFE! I love my body too... I hope we can transcend
it in a BETTER form, but yet cannot quite grapple with what it would be,
realistically.
And keeping it in great living order ( including backups or transplants or
imoortal flesh) seems to me SO FAR the best thing I can do (Dying and then
being frozen is like a lottery ticket to me - I am pretty skeptical about its
probablity).
But when a better thing I can see as truly VIABLE comes along, I will
certainly try to overcome my revulsion to the other types of "vehicles". Even
uploading.
If it is a chance at immortality - and if it really seems like "life".
The bias you talk about is because my beautiful mortal coil gives me such
great sensations and if possible I would like to keep those - enhance them -
and I would also lke to still be able to see what is happening on the real
earth - "in reality" - and maybe as a machine I can do that and maybe not
Mostly it's a combination of that and a special "honoring:" of what I have
now, enjoy it, love it, as an *attitude* - an attitude to enhance my life
NOW> which keep me positive.
But as Eugene Leitl said in his great response to the same post I replied to,
virtual sweat would sting like the real stuff - so a VR body might be one
option - if it was "indistinguishable" from my own body * and* unlimited
too, then I would probably opt for the VR version, maybe ... maybe not - if
I could live forever in reality! : - )
...his post made me think a lot. Better have some GOOD artists making the
sweat...
I am still questioning these thingslike everyone else, but I certainly dont
see the body as a handicap or something I want to get rid of !!
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