Re: Reservations about uploading

Abraham Moses Genen (futurist@ny.frontiercomm.net)
Thu, 12 Jun 1997 19:41:11 -0400


Max More wrote:
>
> At 04:37 PM 6/11/97 -0600, Brent wrote:
> >
> >
> > And the ability to spontaneously install things like doctorate
> >degrees and/or life time memories such as practicing the piano for a
> >life time or studying math for a life time...
>
> How exactly do you think we will do that as uploads? It's not obvious that
> a change of platform will instantly make us totally malleable or give us
> the ability easily to simply plug in new abilities. I'm not saying it can't
> happen, but I do think this assumption is usually made without argument.
>
> I'd be interested in how you would support these claims.
>
> Max
>
> Max More, Ph.D.
> more@extropy.org
> http://www.primenet.com/~maxmore
> President, Extropy Institute: exi-info@extropy.org, http://www.extropy.org
> EXTRO 3 CONFERENCE on the future: http://www.extropy.org/extro3.htm

Dear fellow extropians,
At the severe risk of being considered regressive, I believe that the
pleasure of learning should be given full consideration before we
abandon the joy (and even pain) of slowly accumulating knowledge and
formulating ideas through continuous cognitive development.
Although the idea of an intellectual implant that gives us an instant
lifetime of knowledge and pleasure might have its merits, the depth of
emotion and the spirit of humanism that might be lacking under those
conditions should give us some pause for further consideration. Is
knowledge worth having without at least some effort and passion?
A.M. Genen