Probable naive questions on this Uploading thing

Laws, David (lawsd@magic.dcrt.nih.gov)
Sat, 13 Sep 1997 21:05:30 -0400

Forgive me if these questions have been debated previously. 'Uploading'
has just caught my fancy. It seems a near-viable take-off on the same
subject as described in Greg Bear's "Eon" book (or vice versa). I've
searched through a dozen or so pages on the subject at the Extropy web
site and haven't found the answers. Asking here just to save time even
if flamed...

1) Would an individual be uploaded to a centralized 'net' or a private
one? Would there be a benefit in either? If centralized how would
'you' affect 'me'?

2) Have security and backups been researched? Could someone 'pull the
plug' and delete everyone? Could a virus be introduced to
control/corrupt/erase an uploaded individual?

3) Since 'thought' (as far as I can remember) is somewhat determined by
protein deposits at specific neurons (changing the course to the next
neuron I suppose) wouldn't everyone in a central 'net' then think alike?

4) Do emotion and the senses determine how one thinks? I know my mood
affects my thought processes and certain smells or sounds do also. How
will this be handled in a 'net'?

5) If there would be no emotion I wouldn't 'care' if I were thinking or
not. Would I cease to exist?

-David R. Laws (just curious)