Mind Uploading? Not Worth it.
There are several pros and cons to immortality. There are plenty of people who wish that they could stay alive with loved ones and to live happily forever; however, immortality does not come without consequences. Something to consider is that, even though the mind gets preserved, may there be a limit, or a maximum capacity? This is only one of the consequences that would be faced by looking further into mind uploading.
Review of the Pros and Cons of Mind Uploading:
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Mind upload?... No.
Though mind
uploading has many benefits, it also has many issues. Some of these issues may
include that others may believe that it is unethical and that once uploaded,
the life is in the hands of a human controller.
Not only is this a case, but there are major opportunities for
errors. Sotala and Valpola (2012), two
computer science professionals, discuss some of these potential errors. They discussed
that the process of human merging is difficult and that “errors and mistakes
may prove hazardous to the subjects, and it is currently unknown what kind of a
merging process is needed to ensure that the resulting mind will remain sane
and functional” (Sotala & Valpola, 2012).
With this is mind, the hazards and errors are large determining factors
that influence the movement of brain uploading.
People need to consider the fact that there is potential for a failed mind upload. Failure to accomplish is detrimental and unethical. “Such experimentation is feasible if the upload's whole brain has been moved to a digital substrate, but less feasible if a considerable portion of the self still resides in a biological brain.” (Sotala & Valpola, 2012). This says that there is a chance for failure and error that can lead to the loss of lives in general. By laws of nature, all beings in the universe are prone for death.
People need to consider the fact that there is potential for a failed mind upload. Failure to accomplish is detrimental and unethical. “Such experimentation is feasible if the upload's whole brain has been moved to a digital substrate, but less feasible if a considerable portion of the self still resides in a biological brain.” (Sotala & Valpola, 2012). This says that there is a chance for failure and error that can lead to the loss of lives in general. By laws of nature, all beings in the universe are prone for death.
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Hauskeller talks about the positives of mind upload, yet, he also talks about the functionality of artificial brains or brain substitutes as compared to the organic brain. He says that the artificial brain does not work and “produce the same effects as the original, organic brain” (Hauskeller, 2012). Based on these observations, who is to say that this is thus the same for mind uploading? “If our minds are distinct entities in the first place then there is no reason they should not remain distinct” (Hauskeller, 2012). By placing our minds into a computerized reality would not make our minds distinct. Through technological manipulation, our minds could be altered, experimented on, and even replicated. The DNA in our body has led to the creation of the brain, and the replacement of the brain with a computer substrate goes against all laws of nature.
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Understanding the brain and the NATURAL FUNCTION of the brain
There are three different ideas proposed by Hauskeller that have no support as well. These different ideas include the fact that there is no evidence showing that there is an actual software capable of emulating the human brain, no guarantee that mind uploading is like expected, and that there is this potential for disappointment in that the mind may turn out to be “a different mind, or more precisely, a different self” (Hauskeller, 2012). Even if you would assume that virtual reality is like the physical reality, there is the personal knowledge that the person’s life has come to a physical end which would also lead to disappointment.
Not only is there a risk of errors or entrapment, but, if one was to upload their mind, the process of coalescence would lead to possible “thoughts and memories [being] potentially available to another person” (Sotala & Valpola, 2012), which is a matter of conserving one’s privacy. Overall, this process is an evasive process in that the subject is fully exposed and can easily be manipulated under science. Even if given the opportunity to upload one’s mind, the person whose mind is being uploaded must also trust that the person handling their brain can do so with care and keep the subject’s secrets.
Not only is there a risk of errors or entrapment, but, if one was to upload their mind, the process of coalescence would lead to possible “thoughts and memories [being] potentially available to another person” (Sotala & Valpola, 2012), which is a matter of conserving one’s privacy. Overall, this process is an evasive process in that the subject is fully exposed and can easily be manipulated under science. Even if given the opportunity to upload one’s mind, the person whose mind is being uploaded must also trust that the person handling their brain can do so with care and keep the subject’s secrets.
More on Mind Uploading:
Usciences
WRT 102-22
Thomas Too
WRT 102-22
Thomas Too