[ExI] destructive uploading

[G. Livick]

On 9/2/2011 12:46 PM, Ben Zaiboc wrote:
> "G. Livick"<glivick at sbcglobal.net>  asked:
>
>> I've wondered what it would be like, how it would impact a person
>> psychologically, to be a thinking entity without a physical body.  What
>> would we do all day?  Email people?
>
> Oh, come on.  This has been hashed over countless times.
>
> Oh, well...
>
> There's no such thing as 'without a body'.  You said "without a physical body", and that may well be true, but there will always be a body.  If not a physical one, then a virtual one.  In fact, a virtual body would be better in many respects, because you could have a lot more control over it (and the environment it's in, if you like).

I suppose that makes sense.  An uploaded brain is "virtual," so why not 
a body?  It could be a generic body at that, avoiding the expense of 
charting the location and physiological state of every cell in the 
host's body, the contents and state of the intracellular matrix, the 
class, type and state of all the supporting bacteria, etc.

>
> So, in answer to the question "what would you do?", assuming it's taken as read that by "without a physical body" you mean "with a virtual body":  Whatever you like!
I like the idea of a virtual body better.  Hopefully it will be 
available with optional extras.
>
> Take this as an opportunity to stretch your imagination.

It seems a few before me have already been very busy at that....

>
> An upload in a virtual body in a simulated environment will have a *huge* range of possibilities, many, many times more than are possible in our current physical (or even any future physical) bodies.  Personally, I'd want control over the environment as well as the body simulation.  Endless fun, if that's your thing.  Or a vastly improved work environment.  Or most likely, both.

Sounds like resurrection in a way.  Will I be able to run and 
everything?  I'm imagining right now that I'm jogging down a beautiful 
footpath through a towering kelp bed....  There's a mermaid!  It's just 
my luck I forgot to imagine not needing to breathe.

>
> And if that doesn't float your boat, remember that an upload could also control a physical body.  Robotic, or even biological if you insisted.  I imagine that the level of technology required for uploads would make seamless integration with a physical body trivial, so if you wanted, you could get much the same experience as now, in your current body (except much better, if you take into account the ability to control it better, including your senses, etc.)
>
> And that's just for starters.  There's also interaction with other uploads to think about...

Did George Carlin ever get wind of this scheme?  Is there somewhere we 
can sign up for uploading?  Is George already there?  What kind of 
operating systems will support us?  I like JAVA myself so I can 
virtually exist anywhere that has a runtime, plus I can use it to stay 
alert.

FutureMan