Forum Introduction

Here is the issue, then

It seems to me that the first thing you need to do in order to properly mimic a brain is to achieve an equal number of switches. Period. Anything short of that number of electrical pathways and you simply cannot include every detail of the brain. You are, at that point, merely projecting, extrapolating.

I'd like to offer a notion of Einstein:

In this sense, I feel that technology will eventually be able to put more switches than your brain in your fingernail.

There is no image of the brain which accurately describes the whole of its processes. Not to worry, tricorders are coming someday. Barring extinction by warfare or mystery disease, I fully expect humanity to achieve some marvelous technology in the near future. For instance I once asked what would happen when Hubble could see the predicted 5% further to the edge of the projected Universe. Well, I caught a story at space.com the other day that seems to have astronomers abuzz. (http://www.space.com/scienceastronomy/generalscience/darkenergy_folo_010410.html) It may be a whole new Universe all over again, but the technology we're going to need is going to be stunning. I remember wishing for 256 kilobytes and being thrilled at the 8/16 "turbo" button for the processor. I remember being impressed at a 66 mhz chip. I had a curious experience recently the first time I saw the 1.4 gig P4. I shrugged it off. Apparently, I'm not impressed, but only because I know the big show's yet to come.

We haven't achieved a precise enough image of the brain in all its processes. In terms of Einstein's faith, I can say don't worry, we will. When that happens, we will begin manipulating the theoretic environment, a comparative test to determine the versimilitude of the artificial environment. By that time, it should start becoming apparent whether or not a full-blown mind upload can occur.

And if the scientists assemble enough switches, and arrange them just so, and do everything they can and are still unable to bring a spark of living consciousness to that environment, we will have proof at least that there is more to this phenomenon called life than we understand. Personally, for instance, I figure we're going to have to learn how to manipulate gravity with some precision before we can guarantee the stability of the brain's signature during transfer (making frogs float is cute, but insufficient). It's the only way I can think of--well, offhand--to prevent natural forces from upsetting a very unique electrical pattern.

Nobody says mimicry equals reality. If the pattern doesn't hold through the transfer, it isn't real, but a reconstruction. Essentially what mind uploading seems to seek is a more permanent brain. Essentially, they want to switch out the hard drive and the processor, and maintain the data.

thanx,
Tiassa

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Sorry, I do at that.
In this case, I was using the definition you appear to have for it, i.e. the equivalent of superstition.

Total agreement here; there is no demonstrable substance.

The 'play on words' thing is a reference to the slick way MU fans switch back and forth between reality and virtual reality paradigms, without appearing to notice.

Admittedly, the faith required for MU bears zero resemblance to real faith.
MU "faith" is truly blind, cannot distinguish between real and virtual reality and has great potential for humor.

The obvious question at this point is: have you taken leave of your senses?
That might be too rude, so I will ask: do you not know what "copy" means?

Have you ever owned a mechanical device that is anywhere close to being as resilient as a biological unit, without requiring constant repair and maintenance?

I realize this may be difficult to accept, but I really did try to visualize MU in non-religious terms.
The urge to laughter becomes insurmountable when I do that.
Admittedly, I see no connection between the world of spirits and MU itself.
A better connection would definitely be made between the world of comedy and MU.

You need to get together with Cris on this. He feels that it is NOT mimicry.

Well, not my fingernail. Perhaps you mean a chip the size of a fingernail.

They're here already. A device called a tricorder was patented several years ago. Mind you, it was pathetic.

I see great advances in the field of comedy coming, myself.

A full-blown comedy explosion will occur for sure.
What in hell is a "theoretic environment?"
Your goddess (Mary Jane, I presume) is working overtime stimulating the lexical nonsense nodes in your brain.

Non-scientists figured this out thousands of years ago.
But hey, science plods on, oblivious to reality.

The script writers from Star Trek should be able to help with this.

As an aside, gravity manipulation or gravity management is a potentially important new field of study.
Many in the past have brushed off this important new field with bumper sticker type sloganizing, such as...
"Drinking problem?
I drink, I fall down, no problem."

But I think it is important that a person should be able to manage gravity, i.e. stand up without falling down.

You said a mouthful.
I'm thinking essentially the same thing.
I think MU fans need more permanent brains. The ones they have now seem to relinquish their grip on reality at unpredictable moments.

 

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Ya know what they say, "Life is h**, then you die". I finally got lucky and this one horse town gotta a local provider. Till then it was long distance or nothing. Good luck!

 

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