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ejdalise
Skeptic Friend
USA
50 Posts |
 Posted - 03/23/2007 : 12:44:55 [Permalink]
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Voted for other . . . mainly thinking of a popular theme in some scifi where personalities can be transferred to computers, essentially becoming an operating system - but retaining the individual's memories and self-awareness.
There are certain things implied by this, namely that the influence of chemical and hormonal imbalances would be removed from our reasoning process. There might remain a vestigial memory of moods, emotions, wants, desires, etc. but I would imagine it would fade over time, leaving . . .
. . . hard to describe. Something whose characteristics I confess aspiring to (at least in part), even as I have trouble defining just what those would be. Certainly logic would be central to its existence. Also the absence of fear, doubt, insecurities, and hemorrhoids.
Of course, I would mourn the loss of love, the loss of tactile feedback, the loss of caring for something despite a lack of defensible reasons (wait - that's the same as love), the lack of smell (pine trees in the mountain air), taste (salami and cheese panini). Perhaps all these things could be reproduced in other ways, as sight and hearing now can. But just as sight and hearing, the reproduction would not be the same.
Still, I can imagine as one approaches the end of life the choice to continue in some capacity might be attractive to some (yes, I'm one of them). It could also be a beneficial to society to have incorporeal volunteers for manning space probes, deep sea bathyscaphe, and even planes, trains, and buses. The one advantage is the ability to continue learning, and greater still to do hold the power to end one's self (a quick reformat, or overwrite). Perhaps there could even be the opportunity of a reboot, or a reinstall.
Scary, yes, but also intriguing. I wonder if belief systems would emerge, prompting great debates as to the existence of Lynux.
However, my next choice would be FTL . . . I'd like to get the heck away from this rock as fast as I could.
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--- Disperser ---
Winning enemies and aggravating friends since 1953 |
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tomk80
SFN Regular
Netherlands
1278 Posts |
Posted - 03/23/2007 : 14:11:50 [Permalink]
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| Being a wushu/kung fu afficionado, I just had to vote "other" and go for the "no touch KOs" as promoted by George Dillman and his stooges. |
Tom
`Contrariwise,' continued Tweedledee, `if it was so, it might be; and if it were so, it would be; but as it isn't, it ain't. That's logic.'
-Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Caroll- |
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If frogs had wings...
