Re: Protean Self-Transformation

Mark Grant (mark@unicorn.com)
Sat, 29 Mar 1997 19:23:44 +0000


On Fri, 28 Mar 1997, Gregory Houston wrote:

> Uploading is a common topic on this listserv. Until there becomes an
> interest in giving computers feelings and emotions [felt sensations],
> then uploading will remain somewhat of a ludic concept to me. Once I am
> uploaded in a computer, if I cannot experience emotions/feelings then
> there really isn't any reason for me to continue existing.

Uh, this seems silly. You don't need to 'give a computer feelings and
emotions'. If (and that's a large if) our brains are simply sophisticated
computers, then you already are a computer program and you are already
programmed for those feelings and emotions (assuming that we include some
simulation of the relevant body processes outside the brain itself); so
whether you're running on silicon or goop is irrelevant. If we aren't just
sophisticated computers (e.g. we have 'souls' or something) then uploading
probably won't work anyway.

Mark

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