[ExI] Let's play What If.

[John Clark]

On Nov 11, 2010, at 10:23 AM, Alan Grimes wrote:
> 
>  I don't group ideas with things that have tangible reality.

I don't either, ideas are far more important than tangible reality crap. You don't have ideas you are ideas and its irrelevant what hardware happens to think you.

> For example, a brain exists, it's tangible.

What an object does is less tangible than the object itself, but I don't care, mind is more important than brain; at least it is in this mind's opinion.

> However a computer simulation of a brain has no tangible reality

If so then computer or even calculator arithmetic has no tangible reality so you'd better not use one on your tax returns if you want to stay out of jail; but on second thought that really is not a problem because the brain simulating Alan Grimes has no tangible reality either and you can't put a nonexistent entity in prison. 

> even a microscopic examination of the computer chips will not reveal it!

But a microscopic examination of the neurons in your brain will?!!

> Furthermore, a computer running a simulation of a brain is indistinguishable from a computer running the ABC at home project.

And that versatility is precisely why brains and computers are such useful objects. 

> Ever consider the differences between a computer and a brain with
> regards to a total reset situation?

Indeed I have. If I were to suffer a horrible traumatic experience I'd likely be in a funk for many years and possibly for the rest of my life, but if my computer hangs around with bad programs or has a nervous breakdown for any reason I can reset it in just a few minutes; and even if it's totally destroyed everything is backed up on an external hard disk so nothing is lost. I just wish I had an external hard drive backup for me. 

> I have a billion complaints about uploading not counting the identity issue.

There is no identity issue there is only a identity superstition. 

 John K Clark



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