Transhumanism

Dom · 10-09-2010, 02:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

Transhumanism is an international intellectual and cultural movement supporting the use of science and technology to improve human mental and physical characteristics and capacities. The movement regards aspects of the human condition, such as disability, suffering, disease, aging, and involuntary death as unnecessary and undesirable. Transhumanists look to biotechnologies and other emerging technologies for these purposes. Dangers, as well as benefits, are also of concern to the transhumanist movement.

Essentially the kind of thing I'm talking about is the extreme of "uploading" a human onto a kind of robot to remove issues such as aging, etc. I think this kind of thing is interesting as it seems to be where humanity is headed - especially as a way of making space travel more viable (hugely increased lifespan making longer journey times less significant).

However at what cost does this come? What significance does our human body have? Would someone with no human body still be human? How would you feel if transhuman technology was introduced?

Personally I'm torn. I'm (obviously) so used to everyone who is human being in a human body that it really wouldn't be the same, and it's quite a scary concept for me. On the other hand, I'm sure the progression would be extremely gradual so we'd probably barely notice the transition and it has some huge benefits, like no human diseases, etc. Another terrifying thought I had was what if you got stranded on some desolate planet (for example) and your robotic body stopped working? You'd spend ages in sheer boredom, because you couldn't die and you couldn't move.

All of this is assuming this technology is even possible, of course.

Freebase Dali · 10-09-2010, 02:37 PM

I've thought about the whole "uploading your consciousness into a computer" thing a lot, but I couldn't seem to wrap my head around how it could be possible.
I mean, let's say that there's a computer capable of mimicking the human brain 100 percent, and there's a method of duplicating someone's brain exactly, onto this computer. The person would still "be" the one in the brain, and there would simply be a computer with the exact same thought process, memories, etc... but the actual consciousness of being you and experiencing things yourself wouldn't change.
Since our identity, consciousness, sense of self, is all a essentially product of how our brain is wired, there isn't a way to "transplant" that without taking the entire brain itself.

But going back to the computer thing... if a person's neural pathways were mapped and replicated on a computer and functioned, along with a programmed equivalent of emotion, would that system be self aware? I would think so, but I don't think you would experience yourself through it. I can't imagine how that would work.

As far as whether I would like a bionic body. Yes please.

**Scarlett O'Hara** · 10-14-2010, 04:21 AM

I just wish that my brain was able to absorb information to a greater degree. Basically I just want a photographic memory!

Do any of you guys have one of them? I'm wondering if it's more common in guys than girls to have a photographic mind?

**Janszoon** · 10-14-2010, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

I've thought about the whole "uploading your consciousness into a computer" thing a lot, but I couldn't seem to wrap my head around how it could be possible.
I mean, let's say that there's a computer capable of mimicking the human brain 100 percent, and there's a method of duplicating someone's brain exactly, onto this computer. The person would still "be" the one in the brain, and there would simply be a computer with the exact same thought process, memories, etc... but the actual consciousness of being you and experiencing things yourself wouldn't change.

I've thought the exact same thing about this. You would still die. All that would be left behind would be a machine that thought it was you.

The same problem exists with teleportation if you think about it. If you used a teleportation device you would be killed, torn apart atom by atom. On the other end of the teleportation an exact duplicate of you would be created. It would look like you, talk like you, act like you, it would even think it was you, but it would still be nothing more than a duplicate of the original.

duga · 10-14-2010, 08:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Janszoon

The same problem exists with teleportation if you think about it. If you used a teleportation device you would be killed, torn apart atom by atom. On the other end of the teleportation an exact duplicate of you would be created. It would look like you, talk like you, act like you, it would even think it was you, but it would still be nothing more than a duplicate of the original.

Or it would be a you from a parallel universe. Scientists have been able to teleport particles (not sure what kinds of particles) a few feet, but with the algorithms they use they can't prove they are the same exact particles. They are the "same" but the theory is we phase our particles out of our universe and phased the same ones from a parallel world in.

Ok not completely relevant, but interesting...

Goblin Tears · 10-14-2010, 09:40 AM

I'm happy with my brain as is, thank you very much.

mr dave · 10-14-2010, 03:49 PM

how is uploading your mind into a machine any different than projecting your essence into a body?

we've already been doing it forever just our machines aren't eternal.

Freebase Dali · 10-14-2010, 03:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

how is uploading your mind into a machine any different than projecting your essence into a body?

we've already been doing it forever just our machines aren't eternal.

Could you expound on this please?

**Janszoon** · 10-14-2010, 03:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr dave

how is uploading your mind into a machine any different than projecting your essence into a body?

we've already been doing it forever just our machines aren't eternal.

I have to say, unless that's some weird euphemism for unprotected sex, I'm pretty sure I've never projected my essence into a body.

mr dave · 10-14-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

Could you expound on this please?

i don't want to get all religious and stuff (i'm really not).

but from my perspective just because it's cells and organs instead of nuts and bolts doesn't make the human body less of a machine. the soul is what's passed through and remains eternal.

i don't give half a crap what some religious text or some words from a scientist's mouth have to say on the issue. just because our individual ego is tied to the limited existence of the biological machine we inhabit doesn't mean we don't and haven't been living forever. it's my personal metaphysical perspective. the only person who needs to dig it is me.

i was just tossing 2 cents into the pile.

Jans was close though, not unprotected sex, but successful procreation.

10-14-2010, 04:21 AM	#3 (permalink)
Scarlett O'Hara Make it so Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 6,181	I just wish that my brain was able to absorb information to a greater degree. Basically I just want a photographic memory! Do any of you guys have one of them? I'm wondering if it's more common in guys than girls to have a photographic mind? __________________ "Elph is truly an enfant terrible of the forum, bless and curse him" - Marie, Queen of Thots

10-09-2010, 02:37 PM	#2 (permalink)
Freebase Dali Partying on the inside Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 5,584	I've thought about the whole "uploading your consciousness into a computer" thing a lot, but I couldn't seem to wrap my head around how it could be possible. I mean, let's say that there's a computer capable of mimicking the human brain 100 percent, and there's a method of duplicating someone's brain exactly, onto this computer. The person would still "be" the one in the brain, and there would simply be a computer with the exact same thought process, memories, etc... but the actual consciousness of being you and experiencing things yourself wouldn't change. Since our identity, consciousness, sense of self, is all a essentially product of how our brain is wired, there isn't a way to "transplant" that without taking the entire brain itself. But going back to the computer thing... if a person's neural pathways were mapped and replicated on a computer and functioned, along with a programmed equivalent of emotion, would that system be self aware? I would think so, but I don't think you would experience yourself through it. I can't imagine how that would work. As far as whether I would like a bionic body. Yes please.

10-14-2010, 09:40 AM	#6 (permalink)
Goblin Tears Music Addict Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Ireland Posts: 337	I'm happy with my brain as is, thank you very much.