[extropy-chat] "Dead Time" of the Brain.

[Heartland]

Jeffrey Herrlich:
>  I agree that the evidence suggests that a human mind is an active process. I 
> also acknowledge, that the atoms/ions/molecules which perpetuate the mind-process 
> will each trace out a different trajectory in space/time, under typical 
> circumstances.
"However, the fact that a moving atom "possesses" a space/time trajectory, does not 
mean that the atom is *defined* by a space/time trajectory. The space/time 
trajectory is a single component of an *extremely* large definition of any given 
atom. The space/time trajectory is an *effect* not a cause, of an atom that happens 
to be in motion. In other words, there is no space/time trajectory, without an atom 
to trace it in the first place (except for something like a photon, perhaps, but 
the brain isn't made of photons). The mind-process (or the mind-activity) cannot 
exist without atoms to do the dirty work."

Yes, I agree with that. I never said that trajectories define anything other then 
the identities of objects.


>  The activity that perpetuates a human mind is the activity (motion) of atoms 
> (molecules, etc).

Yes.

>  So how can a "mind object" be any different than a physical brain, made of 
> atoms?

I should have explained this earlier. Mind object consists of all matter but only 
that matter which is presently and actively involved in energy exchanges that 
produce the mind (e.g. electrons streaming down synapses). Brain object consists of 
all nonessential matter that merely "contains" that energy exchange process (e.g. 
atoms of brain tissue).

In light of this, an alternative definition for uploading could be, "a process by 
which matter that contains mind object is being replaced."

Jeffrey Herrlich:
>  And how can a "mind trajectory" be any different than a trajectory of a physical 
> brain (the trajectory can refer only to atoms/molecules/ions)?

Assuming my last paragraph, different matter translates into separate trajectories.

Good questions.

S.