From: zygant@tdsecurities.com
Date: Mon Apr 19 1999 - 13:24:17 MDT
I was thinking more along the lines of what has classically been referred
to as the "soul" as being quantifiable. There hasn't been an attempt to
actually measure one, using sensitive emf field detectors, ultra low or
high frequency sound, light in the non-visible spectrum. I propose that
however it's quantified, it may prove to be a resource in terms of
conciousness transference, and reanimation. There may be an associated
field of mass and energy that binds our life to our bodies.
If that wasn't likely, electrical defibrillators would not resuscitate
people. How many people wonder how that really works? We see the
mechanical procedure, and don't question the results. Electrical pulses
contract muscles, they operate implanted computer chips in the brains of
paraplegics so they can use their mental focus as a mouse (one of the first
publicized human-computer interfaces). There are a lot of applications for
these areas of study. Someone studying human/computer interfaces 10 years
ago probably heard the ol' standby you can't disprove a negative- because
no such thing had ever been done, and the majority of people out there
would have told him his theory was bunk, or would take two hundred years to
develop- so why bother?
I don't want to drag up the deity arguments (or lack). I'm merely saying
that just because people have attached theological significance to a
concept, dosesn't mean there isn't a grain of truth under all the ritual
hoopla. It may be as mundane a few years from now that people have a soul
of sorts (for lack of a better word) as it is to accept now, that we
generate a weak and somewhat erratic electro-magnetic field. At least
exploring the option would leave memes better equipped for quality of life
if it was tagged for transfer as well.
Sometimes I'm given to thinking out loud, and voice something I feel will
invite lots of criticism, because I want to hear the why-nots, so I can
check my thoughts against them. I don't mind the feedback, just please
don't flame me for being a fringe-dwelling TH (if the fringe of the fringe
will still patiently reject/accept my wierd ideas, the good and the odd).
- Tamara
mark@unicorn.com on 04/19/99 01:37:12 PM
Please respond to extropians@extropy.com
To: extropians@extropy.com
cc: (bcc: Tamara Zyganiuk/CIBG/TDBANK)
Subject: Re: Yes we have souls...
zygant@tdsecurities.com wrote:
>Until someone finds a way to have the soul disproven by all the
>technological verve we can toss at it, or until they prove that rats
brains
>contain memory and self-awareness when transferred,
Of course before you could prove that an uploaded human has no
self-awareness
and therefore their 'soul' was lost in the transfer, you'd have to prove
that
a meat human has self-awareness.
Mark
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