whether your talking upon death or by some action performed while living...do you think it will ever be possible to survive without your body via something we would think of now as a computer.
Does anyone know of any writings on this idea?
Who needs heaven...I want to be put in the internet when I die! :)
2006-12-20 13:59:34 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
No. At the very best, you could hope to run a simluation of yourself on your computer, but that wouldn't be you.
Admitting a computer was powerful enough to contain a graphic, or logical model of every single one of your cells (or at least brain cells, because we ultimately do not know how matter produces thought), and that someone, or some other machine was actually able to catalogue them all and put them in the computer, that would still not be you.
Admitting the simulation was perfect and the thing in the computer reacted like you to every imaginable situation, you would still pass away and die, for you would still be flesh and blood. The computer model would make you no more immortal than having an immortal identical twin would make you immortal.
Furthermore, would the simulation be conscious of itself? The fact of the matter is no one can answer that question, because no one understands how consciousness is created in the first place. Is consciousness simply the result of a particular logical order that is contained in the arrangement of matter of living things? In that case, I suppose the model would be as conscious as you are. But would it have the same consciounsness as you have? It's eyes, its ears, its senses, would all be virtual. Would it experience its computer world the same way you do? Or would his experience be completely different and unintellegible to humans? Again, we don't have a clue.
On the other hand, what if consciousness is a product of matter, what if consciousness requires material organs and a nervous system such as the one you have? In that case, it might be simulated, but not reproduced.
Or - since we're examining all possibilities and since we really don't know - what if you have a soul? What if consciousness has nothing to do with your body at all, but simply uses your body as an instrument to actualize itself? In that case, the computer model would fail completely in imitating you.
In any case, you cannot achieve immortality by reproducing yourself - unless you'd be satisfied you were immortal by having clones of yourself frozen in the event of your death. It's really no different, in the best of scenarios.
2006-12-20 14:42:00 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, it feels like you're looking approach too many films! BUT: 3d scanners exist that allows you to experiment any item and create a 3d illustration of that item at the laptop. This item might then be utilized in any laptop sport or digital global which makes it possible for you to import your possess units. As for "disassembling" a truly item and "reassembling" it in a laptop atmosphere: This remains to be technological know-how fiction, and a science that wont exist for a VERY very long time
2016-09-03 13:31:29 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No offense but a silly Q.
I suspect at some point in time, the opposite will happen. Computers will be installed in humans. Certainly they are already on many levels.
This too may seem silly but consider: Even though I detest the thought, and will hopefully not live to see the day,,,One day we may all have "Chips" in us, noting every conceivable bit and byte of info regarding us. You may, for example go to a store, shopping. At the automated checkout line, you'll scan your purchase then over that same glass panel, you'll scan your head, or arm, and be on your way.
The greatest issue I see with the WWW now, and forevermore is the intrusion of it. Not only is every character we input, recorded, but so easily accessible, by so many,,,even here BTW.
I suspect that one day the US constitution, at least will have to be ammended to accomodate any acceptable losses of freedoms.
Steven Wolf
2006-12-20 14:12:22 · answer #3 · answered by DIY Doc 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Immediate transfer seems wrong.
But, it's conceiveable that, like Theseus' ship, we could replace each brain function we isolate with an electronic counterpart, so that there is no disruption of consciousness.
If we simply mapped your brain physics onto an electronic medium, that would not be you, but a copy. If you saw it realized while alive, you would still fear your own death.
2006-12-20 14:35:18 · answer #4 · answered by -.- 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since we are made of electromagetic energy, I assume that some point in time it will become possible. The story Tron deals with this among others.
2006-12-20 14:04:25 · answer #5 · answered by Sophist 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Use your imagination. What happen to the inner-child?
I cannot believe someone would rather be in a computer then heaven.
2006-12-20 14:18:53 · answer #6 · answered by childofGod 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
ahhh scary
I hope not... people are so much more intresting.
sometimes i wonder if ghosts can be in computers tho... but thats because of their no physical form
either way... were u watching futurama last night .. hahaha
Bender goes inside a computer by plugging himself into it
2006-12-20 14:34:40 · answer #7 · answered by meowzippity 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Next question?
2006-12-20 14:06:54 · answer #8 · answered by darkmark90 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why not? Anything is possible.
2006-12-20 14:03:38 · answer #9 · answered by Voodoid 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋