The Singularity

[Minor Axis]

Ray Kurzweil Wants to Be a Robot- Newsweek

He seems to think that eventually we will be able to transplant the intelligence of the human brain and all of it's memories into a chip giving humans the ability to live forever. It's an intriguing concept but I tend to think that if you registered all your memories, and all the characteristics of your brain, i.e. it's electronic footprint, it might wake up and think it's you, but when you die, you'd still be dead. Your family might think they are still interacting with a synthetic you, but the spiritual you haa moved on to the afterlife (if there is one). In any case you would no longer be on Earth in a physical body.

What it boils down to is just what is your consciousness and could it, your consciousness, be transferred into a synthetic person? And would it be you or just a replica? I'm thinking the latter.

Another twist is when computing power is so small , that they wll be able to graft it onto the human brain to increase your computing power. Kurzwell thinks that we must either become cyborgs or we are going to be left behind when it comes to intelligence. At some point, the projection is 30-50 years, computers will more than match the human brain for computations, but what does it take to gain self awareness as in Sky net in The Terminator? Only science fiction writers know.

 

[Dana]

Yeh im not sure about that. I don't know if you could imprint your consciousness into a machine. Meaning you'd actually know u were a machine instead of organic. I think he watched Terminator: Salvation, what do you think?

 

[MoonOwl]

I haven't had enough coffee to even contemplate such a thing.....

 

[sierrabravo]

and i haven't had enough beer. ever. every time i see this conversation it reminds me of the following! lol

YouTube - I, Robot

 

[Minor Axis]

Yeh im not sure about that. I don't know if you could imprint your consciousness into a machine. Meaning you'd actually know u were a machine instead of organic. I think he watched Terminator: Salvation, what do you think?

What is science fiction today is science fact tomorrow. It is not far fetched to imagine a future where machines outmatch human intelligence, maybe not their souls, but the ability to out think us. If you give a computer system enough smarts and leeway, it could turn on us. That is what I think about Terminator.

Regarding the transplantation of human consciousness into a machine that is a lot harder of a concept to wrap your brain around. Honestly I don't see it. Our brains are a lump of flesh with inherent unique perceptions, electrical circuits and stored memories. Is that what makes us, us? If that is all there is, then it would be pretty easy to transfer that info to a machine. But what if you transferred it to 10 machines? Would there be 10 of you? They might think they were you, but there can't be 10 of them, can there? It's a pretty good argument for the concept of a soul, something that keeps you unique. But then it would mean all living things have a soul, which I don't think religions in general support.

 

[ssl]

What is science fiction today is science fact tomorrow. It is not far fetched to imagine a future where machines outmatch human intelligence, maybe not their souls, but the ability to out think us. If you give a computer system enough smarts and leeway, it could turn on us. That is what I think about Terminator.

Regarding the transplantation of human consciousness into a machine that is a lot harder of a concept to wrap your brain around. Honestly I don't see it. Our brains are a lump of flesh with inherent unique perceptions, electrical circuits and stored memories. Is that what makes us, us? If that is all there is, then it would be pretty easy to transfer that info to a machine. But what if you transferred it to 10 machines? Would there be 10 of you? They might think they were you, but there can't be 10 of them, can there? It's a pretty good argument for the concept of a soul, something that keeps you unique. But then it would mean all living things have a soul, which I don't think religions in general support.

If you think about it, it is our mind that makes us who we are, no?

What is our mind? It appears to be highly-adapted electronic-based cells with the ability to store and retrieve information.

Sounds like a technological device to me. :shrug: It could also be that our minds (which, recently, I am thinking is a separate organism, which evolved the ability to control other organisms/cells but not absolute control) are trying to evolve further into a less-organic state of existence (technology). After evolving into the state of being able to control other organsims/control their cells/evolution, they wish to reduce their evolutionary process (stabilize themselves) such that a transition to a non-organic state would be easy; then to restart the evolutionary process again; cycle continues.

 

[Minor Axis]

If you think about it, it is our mind that makes us who we are, no?

What is our mind? It appears to be highly-adapted electronic-based cells with the ability to store and retrieve information.

Sounds like a technological device to me. :shrug: It could also be that our minds (which, recently, I am thinking is a separate organism, which evolved the ability to control other organisms/cells but not absolute control) are trying to evolve further into a less-organic state of existence (technology). After evolving into the state of being able to control other organsims/control their cells/evolution, they wish to reduce their evolutionary process (stabilize themselves) such that a transition to a non-organic state would be easy; then to restart the evolutionary process again; cycle continues.

My impression, which is subject to being influenced seems to think that your consciousnesses is unique. And what happens to it (consciousness) upon physical death, either it would cease to exist, (Atheist view) similar to a dreamless sleep, or move on, for lack of a better word, to the afterlife. The duplicate might think he/she were you, but you have gone, so it can't be you can it? I find it a perplexing theory to discuss.

Back to what you said- Lets say that they have created a computer that is equal to the human brain and functions exactly like it does and they have perfected the ability to record the entire electronic signature of your brain, every memory you've ever had, your skills, your perceptions everything. You lay down in your bed and while you are sleeping the electronic transfer is made to an artificial person, then you are given a sedative that kills you. The next morning the artificial person wakes up. Is it you or have you died and cease to exist in this world?

 

[Minor Axis]

and i haven't had enough beer. ever. every time i see this conversation it reminds me of the following! lol

Actually that was hilarious, but the difference is we are not discussing while sea lab falls apart .

BTW I find your avatar very disturbing...

 

[ssl]

My impression, which is subject to being influenced seems to think that your consciousnesses is unique. And what happens to it (consciousness) upon physical death, either it would cease to exist, (Atheist view) similar to a dreamless sleep, or move on, for lack of a better word, to the afterlife. The duplicate might think he/she were you, but you have gone, so it can't be you can it? I find it a perplexing theory to discuss.

Back to what you said- Lets say that they have created a computer that is equal to the human brain and functions exactly like it does and they have perfected the ability to record the entire electronic signature of your brain, every memory you've ever had, your skills, your perceptions everything. You lay down in your bed and while you are sleeping the electronic transfer is made to an artificial person, then you are given a sedative that kills you. The next morning the artificial person wakes up. Is it you or have you died and cease to exist in this world?

which is one of the fundamental questions i care not to answer, for i have not contemplated such things for some time.

'you' is an intangible concept.. yet it sits in front of you when you look in the mirror..

what defines you? is it just existing, or is it more?

if it is more, what makes it such that there has to be more? and why?

if it just existence, then 'you' is a concept of uniqueness that has been perpetuated ... (conspiracy!) lol.

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i just care not to explore such things at this time, as more important (relative to the current time) things require my attention, such as college and employment.