Re: NEURO: Advanced neurons?

Paul Hughes (organix@hotmail.com)
Sat, 15 Mar 1997 15:54:37 -0800 (PST)


>Date: Sat, 15 Mar 1997 22:58:09 +0100 (MET)
>From: Anders Sandberg <nv91-asa@nada.kth.se>
>To: extropians@extropy.org
>Subject: Re: NEURO: Advanced neurons?

>On Thu, 13 Mar 1997, The Low Golden Willow wrote:
>
>> In the 16 Jan Nature, News and Views, there was a piece on neurons
>> possibly being more complex than had been thought. Nonlinear responses,
>> multiplicative instead of additive functions, and shifts in dendritic
>> membrane potentials, which the researchers thought could be another
>> storage mechanism.
>>
>> This could make uploading harder, if they're doing more computation and
>> storage in themselves, not just as a network.
>
>Yes, but not significantly harder. We already have quite elaborate
>cellular models, and given the technology needed for an uploading
>scan we can certainly learn enough about the neural trickery.
>
>-----------------------------------------------------------------------
>Anders Sandberg Towards Ascension!
>nv91-asa@nada.kth.se http://www.nada.kth.se/~nv91-asa/main.html
>GCS/M/S/O d++ -p+ c++++ !l u+ e++ m++ s+/+ n--- h+/* f+ g+ w++ t+ r+ !y
>
The idea of an “uploading scan” presupposes that the new matrix one is
uploading into, is at least equal to if not more complex, efficient and faster
than the one you already posses. My contention, is that the necessary
(nano)technology to create a better matrix than your brain, is much more
advanced than the intermediate technology necessary to augment or re-engineer
you pre-existing one.
In other words, unless you wait a considerable amount of time to take advantage
of nano-tech brain-augmenting capabilities you won’t need to upload yourself.
Instead, you will enjoy the remarkable re-engineering of your brain/body as
bioengineering and nanotechnology continue to improve in capability and
effectiveness.

Paul Hughes

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