In a message dated 10/5/1999 9:14:31 AM EST, rhanson@gmu.edu writes:
<< But of course we had cities for many centuries before we had suburbs.
If you want to wait in the country until they make cities as comfortable
and green as the country, that's your choice, but don't be surprised if
it is others who have become rich creating those cities. Making an
android body as good as protein bodies is *quite* a challenge.
Robin Hanson rhanson@gmu.edu http://hanson.gmu.edu >>
True, it will be a challenge to make an android body as good as protein bodies in all ways, but I don't necessarily need it to be as good in all ways since I could always get a new one. No, what I think we will need is to provide uploaded human personalities with sensory input that they are familiar with, and allow them to carry on relationships in as close a semblance of normalcy as possible. Remember, while they may be running on a new substrate, we are still talking about minds which grew in a certain environment, which require certain sensory imagery and relationships for their continued mental health. True, you might be able to redesign the uploaded mind so it is preadapted to the new reality (but I would not like that as any changes to my personality I want to preapprove if at all possible), and there will be some who can make the transition regardless of how different from their previous existence, but do you really want to survive biological death to to chance psychological damage and suffering when simply waiting a fraction of time longer may provide a smoother ride? You may do better waiting until the process has had the bugs worked out before being uploaded, as you may actually lose more time having your psyche pieced back together from a bad upload. Of course, if you have a copy of the original upload, just not running, you could always keep restarting it in different ways until one copy of you makes the transition, but think of the carnage to all those other incarnations! Obviously some of us will opt to be adventurous, and I would not want to preclude that option, but for the majority of humanity, I think that the gradual approach would be a good one.
Glen Finney