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On 14/05/2020 23:00, Re Rose wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:mailman.0.1589493624.2107.extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">
<div>You can have raw data, like back in 2000 when we had the
human genome. remember that? There were coffee table bvooks with
the sequence printed out. But the sequence alone - raw data -
was meaningless. We are still learning, 20 years later, how to
interpret it. By no means can that data be used to reconstruct a
human *unless* you have tons of other information.</div>
<div><br>
</div>
</blockquote>
<br>
I think this is an exaggeration, to say the least. A full copy of a
genome is far from meaningless, even if we don't yet know how to
interpret it. Yes, tons of other information is needed to do that
(without which the genome itself is useless, but not meaningless),
but this information is different from the information in the
genome, in that it applies to <b>all</b> genomes, as far as we
know, so once it is figured out, suddenly any and all stored genomes
can be understood.<br>
<br>
This is the same with stored brain data. Even if we had it, we
wouldn't yet be able to make use of it, but once we figure out how,
that knowledge will apply to all stored brain data-sets, and
suddenly we'll be able to do uploading.<br>
Of course, we still don't even know how to get the brain data in the
first place, but it's being worked on right now, so there are three
steps:<br>
<br>
1) preserve the brain so that the information is not lost<br>
2) extract the information (probably the hardest part) and store it
(the easiest part)<br>
3) use the stored information to recreate the mind<br>
<br>
As far as we know, so far we can do number 1. Probably. But if you
know of extra necessary information that all the people involved in
actually doing this don't, please let us know what it is.<br>
<br>
Several groups are working on number 2, and so far we probably have
very little clue how to do number 3. That will involve figuring out
the procedures that will apply to all uploads, so once we know that,
uploading will become a practical proposition (assuming number 2 is
cracked by then).<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">--
Ben Zaiboc</pre>
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