Immortality
- Started
- Last post
- 52 Responses
- Boz
This is an interesting thing I read. I'm not sure how I feel about this, but I can see how this might work in the future. I mean a body as a body is nothing. The mind is what makes us individuals. What are your thoughts on this:
----
One interesting possibility involves uploading the personality and memories via direct mind-computer interface. Some extropian futurists propose that, thanks to exponentially growing computing power, it will someday be possible to upload human consciousness onto a computer system, and live indefinitely in a virtual environment. This could be accomplished via advanced cybernetics, where computer hardware would initially be installed in the brain to help sort memory or accelerate thought processes. Gradually more and more components would be added until the person's entire brain functions were handled by artificial devices, without any sharp transitions that would lead to some identity issues mentioned below. At this point, the human body would become only an accessory and the mind could be transferred to any sufficiently powerful computer. A person in this state would then be essentially immortal, short of cataclysmic destruction of the entire civilization and their computers.However, some argue that it is impossible to truly move one's consciousness from one body to another; without removing the brain and spinal column. It could be duplicated, but the original would still exist, creating two independent consciousnesses."
----
- Jaline0
Boz, your posts are becoming more interesting all the time.
- Boz0
Jaline, thanks I guess :)
- Bluejam0
we weren't designed to live forever so why mess with that? plus i think the human race will probably wipe itself out before we get to make this happen
- Nairn0
Boz - are you new to Science/Fiction?
Check out Ray Kurzweil, for something more substantial than the vague fantasies of 70s sci-fi.
- lowimpakt0
i prefer to live for immorality
- Atkinson0
Something that makes me sad when someone dies is that all the knowledge and memories of that person are gone. Crazy as it sounds, if they could be firewired for reference of later generations I think that'd be great - so long as the memories were fit for public viewing!
- harlequino0
"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work... I want to acheive it through not dying."
Woody Allen
- ian0
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
Interesting concept Boz, but isnt that the main setting for the matrix?
- Jaline0
Hmm...I didn't even think about The Matrix.
- Nairn0
ian.. http://concep3.com/dump/bladerun…
(I'm getting loads of mileage from that sample these past few weeks)
- moth0
I can only hope that no trace of Woody Allen is left when this happens.
- ian0
Cool nairn, if I had that link I would've posted it too! No searching for the right quote on imdb for you!
- alkanenine0
Some extropian futurists propose that,
Boz
(Jul 18 07, 03:43)these the same people who said we would have jetpacks and hovercars?
- CALLES0
i have been alive for 500 years and im bored out of my mind
- Mimio0
People have the ability to live 20-40% longer today by diet/caloric restrictions alone.
People choose to do other things with their health and lifestyle though.
- skt0
omg that is like so DEEP.
i bet you're fun on coke.
- flavorful0
Woody Allen is great, haha.
Who wants to live forever anyway?
Great - my consciousness can live on, but I can't eat, drink, and be merry (sha sha).
Fuck that.
- Jaline0
I think I'd like to at least have the option, heh ;)
Although there are so many other issues and problems that can come from this.
They just released the census stuff here and apparently the baby boomers are growing in numbers quite rapidly compared to teens and younger people. At the same time, the gap between men and women for who lives the longest has grown to 5 years.
- flavorful0
For those who believe in souls as well this brings up an interesting dilemma ... your are downloaded to a computer, but what of the "soul" does that get moved too or do you then as well get split up from that.
...
Sigh ... actually the definition of "forever" is one of the few things that actually almost frightens me.
... It just seems so long and absolutely hopeless and I think this is my last post in this thread, haha.
- Rand0
it's weird to think that some small percentage of nters will die before they reach my age