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On 07/12/2023 06:13, BillK wrote:<br>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:mailman.452.1701929619.8107.extropy-chat@lists.extropy.org">
<pre>Could you move from your biological body to a computer?
An expert explains ‘mind uploading’.
Published: 04 December 2023
Author Clas Weber
Senior lecturer, The University of Western Australia
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E"
href="https://theconversation.com/could-you-move-from-your-biological-body-to-a-computer-an-expert-explains-mind-uploading-218035"
moz-do-not-send="true"><https://theconversation.com/could-you-move-from-your-biological-body-to-a-computer-an-expert-explains-mind-uploading-218035></a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
"An Expert", eh?<br>
I think we have here the phenomenon of someone who knows a lot about
one thing, thinking that this entitles them to an authoritative
opinion on anything else:<br>
<br>
"But wait: what happens when the original biological-you also
survives the uploading process? Would you, along with your
consciousness, split into two people, resulting in two of “you” –
one in a biological form (B) and one in an uploaded form (C)?<br>
<br>
No, you (A) can’t literally split into two separate people (B ≠ C)
and be identical with both at the same time. At most, only one of
them can be you (either A = B or A = C)"<br>
<br>
He's just assuming the answer to his question is 'No'. No logical
argument, no empirical proof, just an opinion. Perfect example of an
unintuitive conclusion (two of you, each just as much 'you' as the
other) leading someone to reject the obvious. Unless, of course,
he's a dualist, and thinks there's some ineffable unique ghostly
indivisible thing, not subject to the laws of physics, that is the
'real' you. If that was true, then obviously uploading would be off
the cards, and a whole bunch of things would need to be vigorously
re-thought (to say the least!)<br>
<br>
There's no reason whatsoever why someone can't split into two
people. The fact that we haven't done it yet, and so it's a very
strange idea, doesn't invalidate it. If you accept a materialist
interpretation of the world, it's an inevitable conclusion. It seems
to me that this concept is the heavier-than-air flight of our times,
and we're currently at the stage where just about everybody rejects
the idea.<br>
<br>
Ben<br>
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