If you could live forever if - poll

If you could live for ever by saving your mind and sense of self to a computer, would you do it?

  • Total voters
    56
welsh

welsh

Junkmaster
Ok, here's a question.

Imagine that it was possible, for a affordable price, to allow your mind and sense of self to survive even after your body wasted away. Thus it would be possible to store your memories, experience and sense of self on a computer or other electronic medium in a way that allowed you to continue to interact with others. If this was possible, would you do it?
 
Yes, provided i was constantly connected to the internet (as i wouldnt be able to move) the process had sorted out all the bugs and had many advanced applications (eg, being able to play fallout)
 
I think a much more fun question would have been whether we could be talking heads like on Futurama, but I digress.

Then you also need to ask the question about whether your sense of self can still exist outside of your mortal vessel. ie can the soul survive without the body?

and couldn't you have posed this in the Dark Matter thread?

-Murdoch, questioning reality
 
Well, transfer your mind to a computer, and see if your soul comes along for the ride.

My main qualm is the strong possibility that it wouldn't really be you. It would be a copy of you, but your consciousness wouldn't transfer, a new consciousness would awaken (even though it's exactly the same as yours).

Not to say I wouldn't do it, I think it would be rather neat to have an electronic copy of myself; and it would be grateful I imagine. Not to mention the possibility that I might be wrong.

I think that I would prefer technology that would replace the body, but keep the brain and spinal cord intact. That way I would be sure that it was I who had a continued existence, and not a copy.
 
I'd have to say no... I dont want my mind or "soul" wandering around anywhere whthout my body to accompany it.
 
Kotario said:
Well, transfer your mind to a computer, and see if your soul comes along for the ride.
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Assuming a soul actually exists.

My main qualm is the strong possibility that it wouldn't really be you. It would be a copy of you, but your consciousness wouldn't transfer, a new consciousness would awaken (even though it's exactly the same as yours).
Click to expand...

that would be the question. How much proof would you need to know that your "self" can be transferred from the body to a computer.

Not to say I wouldn't do it, I think it would be rather neat to have an electronic copy of myself; and it would be grateful I imagine. Not to mention the possibility that I might be wrong.

I think that I would prefer technology that would replace the body, but keep the brain and spinal cord intact. That way I would be sure that it was I who had a continued existence, and not a copy.
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ah but there are no sure things in life. You have to gamble. I think the question of whether it would really be you is a good qone, even if the conscious "self" could be moved. More interesting, what would your "self" become.

Don't forget, there is a chance they might be able to put you into a robotic or organic body in the future.
 
If for example it takes days to slowly "move" the consciousness into a computer by gradually removing brain matter and replacing it with network connections or some such - can't see why should anyone refuse.
 
What have you got to lose?

I'd do it if it were possible. I'd rather just live forever through a book or being the President of the Universe or something.
 
I say yes, but I'd rather be kept alive as a brain and put in a clone of myself. Or a robot body.

With chainsaw hands! BZZZZZZZZZAAAAAA!
 
Hell, yes! Imagine the possibilities of such a non-physical form. You could have any avatar you desire - a charming actor, a porn star, a gangsta rapper, an Uruk Khai orc, an android, a Sith lord... You would be able to surf the 'net 24/7 and experience multiple orgasms without ever getting exhausted. You wouldn't need to sleep, drink or eat. You would never get flu or cancer - sure, an occassional Sasser worm would be the virtual equivalent of a flu, while Windows XP would be the equivalent of cancer, but that's nothing a simple anti-virus or a format C: wouldn't solve. In case of a power failure you would quickly store yourself on a hard drive or a flash ROM. You would be able to play a MMORPG and feel like you're really there. You would be able to get it on with hot video game chicks and it would feel at least as good as the real thing. Getting it on with real life chicks could pose a problem, though. It would be something like: "Oh, God, nobody touches my DMA units as good you, baby! Lick my Serial ATA ports, oh, yeah!!!"

Isn't that great?
 
This idea was explored in the Night's Dawn Trilogy by Peter F. Hamilton. The main theme of the books is that the dead return to possess the living in the far future. It isn't written in the most philosophical style but there are lots of explosions, Al Capone and advanced technology. I found it very enjoyable and interesting.

In regards to this question, I wouldn't mind having a digital copy of my self but wouldn't want to be killed in the process. How much harm could it do anyway? (as long as 'I' am kept eternally entertained and am not given control of nuclear weapons)

In the book, a whole alternative culture exists based on telepathy and a virtual multiplicity of deceased personalities (like the infinity circuit from 40K) and although the presence of the continued soul is questioned, it can sure be useful to have true AI that can give advice based on an immense pool of knowledge.

However, because the brain and nature of consciousness is the most complex thing in the universe, I think that we will have the required bio-technology to keep the body revitalized long before the time digital personality transferal is available or even necessary.

Unless life needs to be transferred into information for long trips to distant galaxies and then converted back into physical, entrophic entities, there is little reason to go completely digital. We can always change our own bodies anyway if need be.
 
Read Metal Fatigue - Sean Williams

then check the prologue of that book (on sean williams site). The guy there does something EXACTLY like that.
 
I'd go for it, but only if I could choose to end my existance at any given time, if it turned out to be a real bore. Sounds like fun though.
 
Ok, but if your mind and self could be changed into a digital form, then wouldn't you change with it. Some of the ideas you guys have mentioned, about the opportunities of doing new things as an electronic person are interesting, but wouldn't that also change who you are?

Then there is the added issue. What if by becoming part of the digital media you began to transform or morph into another consciousness as well? Perhaps digital consciousness could fuse with another, or many? What if, in the end, we all became part of the same digital self?
 
welsh said:
What if, in the end, we all became part of the same digital self?
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You mean a collective consciousness? Quite obviously, that would be awesome, because then I, being mentally superior to all other humans, would rule everyone else.
 
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