[ExI] simulation as an improvement over reality.

[The Avantguardian]

From: John Clark <jonkc at bellsouth.net>
>To: ExI chat list <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org>
>Sent: Fri, December 31, 2010 1:08:17 PM
>Subject: Re: [ExI] simulation as an improvement over reality.
>
>
>On Dec 31, 2010, at 1:22 PM, Damien Broderick wrote:
>
>Dear dog in Himmel! NOBODY HAS EVER DENIED THIS! An exact copy of you MUST 
>experience himself as you. That's not the problem. The real issue nobody ever 
>seems to answer was posed by Stuart:
>>"you should be alright with your long lost twin brother showing up, locking you 
>
>>in the cellar,
>>and assuming your identity. Or cheating death by brainwashing someone else 
into
>>honestly believing they are you."
>>You'd be okay with that, Ben? 

Damien, that is an extremely stupid question and I think you're smart enough to 
realize it was a stupid question; if you're not now embarrassed in asking it you 

damn well should be.

Yes, the copy experiences self and world exactly as you do and is therefore *a* 
 you. No, *you* here and now have no stake (other than empathy or envious 
hatred) in that replica consciousness
And so you believe that you can copy everything about you EXCEPT for the very 
most important part, The Thing That Must Not Be Mentioned; at least not 
mentioned if you don't want to be laughed at by the scientifically minded, the 
thing that starts with the letter "s". 


The soul? Is that what you think this is about? I am not talking about 
metaphysics here. I am an event that has a set of very physical space-time 
coordinates. Can you copy my space-time coordinates? If my copy does not occupy 
my position in space and time, it is not me. You can re-enact the battle of 
Gettysburg down to the most excruciating detail, but never will your renactment 
*be* the battle of Gettysburg.

 Stuart LaForge 


"There is nothing wrong with America that faith, love of freedom, intelligence, 
and energy of her citizens cannot cure."- Dwight D. Eisenhower