Would You Clone Your Mind to Live Forever? Virtually Human

[MarlaDesat]

Would You Clone Your Mind to Live Forever? Virtually Human

Martine Rothblatt argues that sentient digital clones are only a few decades away in her book, Virtually Human.

Read Full Article

 

[otakon17]

Nope. It doesn't do me some great peace to think I'll be dead but a copy of me would still be around. It still wouldn't be ME, sure it would be "ME" but a copy of my experiences isn't the same as living through them, plus the fact that I wouldn't be continuing on, just the information I'd accrued over my lifetime would. Now, find a way to actually TRANSFER my thoughts and memories to a digital format and I'll be more than happy to hook up.

 

[Lotet]

Now, find a way to actually TRANSFER my thoughts and memories to a digital format and I'll be more than happy to hook up.

Unless we figure out how to convert brain matter into another material that can sustain your mind, I doubt that will ever happen.

The rest of your post, I totally agree with.

 

[WouldYouKindly]

Having just read like 90% of Dune, you're essentially talking about a ghola(with memories unlocked, of course)

Sure, why not? At least of a while anyway. I don't see the point in wanting to live forever. All that comes with eternity is boredom.

 

[Combustion Kevin]

I think I would leave that decision to those who survive me, since I won't be around to suffer it's prescence. ^^

 

[Thaluikhain]

Huh...we had this exact discussion in the Off-Topic forum about a week ago or something.

But, yeah, the copy of you is just a copy, it's not you. Whats to stop you making a copy and still being around as yourself?

Also, there's nothing to stop you from making several copies. I would argue that they can't all be you, and that, being identical, this means none of them are you. By extension, if you just had one, it wouldn't be you.

 

[Lightknight]

Yes, I absolutely would. Have thought of this and am eager to see if I make it to the day where this is possible. Preferably waiting for something like version 3 or 4.

 

[J Tyran]

The book sounds interesting, gonna check if its on the Kindle store. For a concise reason for anyone wanting to avoid things like this in the future:-

 

[Triaed]

Hell yes. I would clone my mind, but not for the purpose of "immortality"
I'd do it for being able to learn and maybe experience new things. Just for the heck of it. For science.

 

[Lightknight]

The book sounds interesting, gonna check if its on the Kindle store. For a concise reason for anyone wanting to avoid things like this in the future:-

That's more a commentary on avoiding corporate control over our lives than anything regarding this.

That is still better than dead.

 

[SilverHunter]

Nope. It doesn't do me some great peace to think I'll be dead but a copy of me would still be around. It still wouldn't be ME, sure it would be "ME" but a copy of my experiences isn't the same as living through them, plus the fact that I wouldn't be continuing on, just the information I'd accrued over my lifetime would. Now, find a way to actually TRANSFER my thoughts and memories to a digital format and I'll be more than happy to hook up.

Since we're talking about digital clones, I dont really see how there could be any difference between transferring and copying, except that the original biological brain would be destroyed in the process for the former.

No difference? You're completely ignoring even the simplest concepts to try and say that. Let's make it simple shall we?

You have a file on a computer that you want to move, and only have two ways of doing it:
Cut-&-Paste (transfer): There is only that singular file, the original, being moved. Any alterations made will affect it, and should it be deleted (dies), that's it.
Copy-&-Paste (cloning): There are two files now, the original you still possess and the second one, the copy, on another computer. From this point on, any changes to one fill will no longer affect the other, and should the original be deleted, there is a copy of it but there's in all likelyhood at least SOME changes, which means it is no longer like the original.

Now replace the file with the concept of the self, your consciousness. In one instance you still exist, and in the other there is you and then there is "you". To try and argue there is no difference between digitally transferring and digitally copying your consciousness completely ignores free will. Not to mention it's extremely naive. Even with all of your memories and experiences, a second you will be different no matter what. Merely knowing that it is nothing but a clone will affect its choices.

Which makes this a terrible book. In completely ignoring a whole half of the equation (as the article brought up), the author has no actual respect towards this concept as a whole. It's as if Asimov chose to not write the three rules of Robotics simply because he was so enamored with how cool it would be to have robots around.

 

[Jandau]

Clone my brain? Why? It doesn't give me immortality. Now, if we were to talk about TRANSFERRING my consciousness into a more permanent vessel, I'd be down with that. But actual transfer would be a lot trickier.

If you're asking "Why would it be trickier?" consider what happens when you cut & paste a file - a new copy is made at the designated location and the old one is simply deleted. It's the same thing as copy&paste, with one extra step at the end. What I want is to preserve the original file (i.e. myself).

That being said, I might see it working. First thing that comes to mind is a gradual replacement of brain matter with a more permanent substance. When I say gradual, I mean over a course of months, maybe even years, with each individual piece being replaced isn't significant enough to impact you, but you gradually adapt to the new brain tissue and slowly "migrate" over to it. Eventually, all the original brain tissue is replaced and you're left with a shining new cyberbrain

 

[kasperbbs]

Even if it has my memories it would no longer be me. The moment my mind would be cloned and it became conscious it would be an entirely different person with experiences and thoughts seperate from my own. Why would i want that? Well it's not like i'll live long enough to see things like that become a reality , and if by some miracle it did then none of us could afford it anyway.

 

[J Tyran]

The book sounds interesting, gonna check if its on the Kindle store. For a concise reason for anyone wanting to avoid things like this in the future:-

That's more a commentary on avoiding corporate control over our lives than anything regarding this.

That is still better than dead.

Pretty sure the video made it clear it was about the legal ramifications of any possible technology where people upload their consciousness as well as highlighting how little control someone would have over their mental state and memories being "adjusted", it even covered "crime and terrorism acts" and who would be be responsible for copy written works after such an upload.

Corporatism is one of the factors but its not the main point.

 

[small]

Having just read like 90% of Dune, you're essentially talking about a ghola(with memories unlocked, of course)

Sure, why not? At least of a while anyway. I don't see the point in wanting to live forever. All that comes with eternity is boredom.

haha and that always turned out so well in dune. yeah a virtual ghola essentially.

i will admit my first response reading this was an instant gut reaction of "um no, thats fucked up". i will definitely be skipping this and if this mind clone of me was actually made and thought like i do they its reaction would be the same, this is a messed up idea to do to someone. yeah its a virtual you, but ultimately not you. now imagine right now waking and knowing that you are just a copy and one made of someone eles likes, dislikes and how they act. not to mention never having that life anymore, never being able to walk around, smell anything, hear anything like you do now, not being able to experience a walk like you do now because you know its all virtual.

i understand people wanting to have themselves live forever and virtually seems awesome but to me its a fucked up virtual hell