[ExI] Human extinction

[Mike Dougherty]

On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 3:57 PM, BillK <pharos at gmail.com> wrote:

> On Wed, Aug 13, 2008 at 6:59 PM, hkhenson wrote:
> > Did I miss anything?  What would you do with such an offer?
>
> The technical problem is, How do you define a 'heaven' simulation?
>
> But the question was: what would _you_ do with such an offer?

I think I would opt for continuing in the simulation with full knowledge of
the simulation.  I would also like to spawn another self that remains
blissfully unaware (having had all memory of the cop redacted)  The more
difficult decision is what to do with the meat body:  Return consciousness
to it unaware of the simulation, essentially ignorant of an otherwise
accessible parallel world - or to wake it up with a copy of the fully-aware
simulation self.  I think I'd have to opt for the full awareness of
reality-as-I-understand-it-so-far.  That's the most consistent and "real"
version of awareness (no inexplicable holes in recent personal/subjective
experience).

  I would then attempt to take up the following "professions" -
ignorant-sim-self goes on doing whatever it may be that the heaven software
generates for bliss.  Aware-sim-self monitors the blissfully ignorant
instance as a form of introspective self-reflection or perhaps as a
different entity altogether (divorcing identity-equality with something like
"I don't even know you anymore")
  The flesh-based self may live a carefree existence with the knowledge that
some form of identity persists beyond the normal realm of physical mortality
issues and will likely try to convince others to adopt a similar state of
being.  I wouldn't go so far as to call is proselytizing, but in the same
way I invited my friends to use gmail, I might suggest people try the sim
existence known as 'heaven' for themselves and make their own choice.  The
idea behind this is to establish a greater network of relationships in both
worlds.  That strikes me as obvious: increased membership increases
potential complexity and therefore more interesting possibility.

Does aware-sim-self get to have contact with aware-meat-self?  That might
make possible some interesting conversations.  Well, at least as interesting
as those conversations we might have with those friends who know us well.
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