[ExI] M brains was atheism again

[Keith Henson]

<spike at rainier66.com> wrote:

snip

> Suppose we accept the notion of uploading in some future super-computer, perhaps in the form of an M-brain but not necessarily that far future.

Perry Metzger came up with this idea back in the early days of this
list.  I wound up with credit for the "Jupiter brains" idea even
though my response at the time was to throw cold water on the idea.

There are two problems with M-brains (or any large aggregate).  First
is that being spread out over an AU, they are *slow* due to the speed
of light.  Second is that computation releases waste heat.  Getting
rid of waste heat in space is not easy.

> Imagine we get quantum computing with a breakthrough currently unforeseen and end up with the ability to experience something that feels like our current consciousness, along with memories of stuff we did.  It is kind of an idealized version of the nanotech dream, coupled with cryonics.

Anyone who is serious about this should look into the engineering aspects.

Keith