[ExI] Uploads are self

[Jason Resch]

On Mon, Mar 23, 2026, 9:47 AM Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> On 23/03/2026 11:12, Jason Resch wrote:
> > there's no limit to the range of experiences that you can have.
>
>
> Actually, there's a proof that this is false that I just thought of.
>
> If someone is colour-blind such that they can't distinguish red from
> green, they literally can't experience a red object on a green background.
>

In 2009, scientists performed surgery on color blind monkeys. They injected
their retinas with a retrovirus to make their cells produce new color
sensing cone cells. In a few weeks their brains rewired themselves based on
this new sensory input, and became capable of making color discriminations
they previously were unable to make.

Would you say the monkeys survived this procedure? I would say so.

This demonstrates that new qualia can be produced from the brain rewiring
itself gradually over time. So I see no reason why a formerly color blind
person could not likewise survive a process that extended their brain or
sensory capacity to give them the ability to experience a red object on a
green background.



> This generalises into a multitude of equivalent cases, and many more. If
> someone doesn't have the right wiring in their amygdala, they can't
> experience fear, etc., etc.
>
> In general, the range of experiences you are capable of is limited by the
> structure of your mind and associated sensory apparatus.
>

I agree with this. But if you allow derivations of a mind to count as
survival, I see no fundamental limit to how far this can be taken.

Jason
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