[ExI] The atoms red herring. =|

[Alan Grimes]

Ben Zaiboc wrote:
> Alan Grimes <agrimes at speakeasy.net> wrote:
>>the subject must poses the supernatural power of being able to
>> choose his point of view.

> OK, I had given up on this, but I'll give it one more
> try, as you've mentioned the POV.

> Just /what is it/ that has this POV?

Me. ;)

> The vilified 'uploaders', as you call them, have given
> an explicit definition of 'Me'.  You have not.  Until
> you actually say what the 'Me' is, you can't really
> make any arguments about it, can you?

That has been a hotly contested issue throughout the ages.

However, there is one common feature of all things in the real world:
They don't give a flying fuck what you, me, anyone, or everyone thinks
about them. Science can only extract a few essentialist features from a
thing. These pieces of information may or may not have practical value.
However, that thing has an existence that precedes and supersedes
everything that could possibly be said about it.

Even though it is impossible to capture the full existence of a thing,
it is scientifically possible to measure its properties. Because there
are no credible reports of any animal being able to swap its
consciousness with something else one must formulate a theory that it is
fundamentally impossible.

Because uploading, as strictly defined by all noteworthy sources, does
not even acknowledge the existence of the consciousness that almost
everyone experiences every waking instant, it cannot be lent any
credibility.

Now there do exist some proposals which do respect the existence of a
consciousness. They do rise to the level where they merit further study
and experimentation. However, I do not claim that any of them will work
prior to first-hand experience.

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