Re: Extropian Events

From: Adrian Tymes (wingcat@pacbell.net)
Date: Sun Apr 15 2001 - 15:29:39 MDT


Steve Nichols wrote:
> > > By the way... if an actual bio-engineered body were to become available, how
> > > would you transfer your consciousness over?
> >
> >We'd have to find a way, of course, but one first experiment comes
> >readily to mind: send a flood of nanites into your head to
> >nondestructively record the connections and relative positions of all
> >neurons in your head, then use the same or different nanites to model
> >the upgraded body's brain the same way, and see if that person can
> >pull off a reasonably good imitation of yourself.
>
> This experiment assumes a material nature of consciousness, and
> falls by reasons of the many objections to mind-brain identity theorists.

Like I said, an experiment. If it suceeds, the mind-brain identity
theory has that much more proof behind it. If it fails, that theory
is so much the weaker (or maybe something outside the brain needs to be
duplicated - which is the same thing, as far as mind-*strictly* brain
identity is concerned). 'Tis what experiments are all about, no?



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