X-Message-Number: 18044 Date: Thu, 29 Nov 2001 10:34:18 -0800 (PST) From: Scott Badger <> Subject: Re: CryoNet #18039 - #18042 david pizer <> wrote: >>>>>>>>>>> "3. The dicussion assumes that there are two ways that the person can be reanimated sometime in the future: Option One - his/her original brain is repaired and reanimated; Option Two - his/her original brain is copied and the original is destroyed in the process, but the copy brain is reanimated. (Some people in cryonics think that this is the only way it can be done)." >>>>>>>>>>> I believe there may be additional options which are essentially gradations between the two you propose. >>>>>>>>>>> The questions can be looked at in another view: Is the essence of being a specific person only the pattern or information, or is the essence of being the specific person some specific material neurons that have the material quality of awareness as an intrinsic part of their neuron firing process. MY hunch is that *I* am a hunk of a very specific brain, my brain. I agree that if a duplicate of the information about the construction of my brain were created into a brand new brain, the new brain would *think* it was me. But I don't know if it would *be* me? >>>>>>>>> I believe Bob Ettinger long ago offered a thought experiment in which a single neuron in your brain is replaced by an artificial neuron which functions identically to the orginal. Just one little neuron. Is it still you? Most people would probably say yes. How about two neurons? How about 10? At what point in the replacement process, David, would it no longer be "you"? When 10% of your neurons had been replaced? ... 50%? So what is the essential difference if I eventually replace all of your original neurons over an extended period of time or whether you fall asleep and I replace them all at once then wake you up? The end result is the same. I think the difference is the average person would feel more comfortable with the extended procedure because they would have a greater sense of continuity of self as they slowly went through the procedure. The radically abrupt aspect of an overnight procedure is more difficult to cope with. But the relevance of duplicates to this forum in my mind is this; even if I am reanimated with purely original neurons that are repaired by nano or whatever, the future of my "self" is at considerable risk as long as I use this soft, squishy substrate we call the brain. If I intend on living indefinitely, I had better replace my highly vulnerable neurons with something substantially more durable. In short, I must eventually duplicate or die. The other philosophical point of interest here is the question of whether the "self" is something that we will always want to preserve. For all we know, the "self" may not be as revered a concept in the future as it is now. After all, transcending the ego is already an ideal state among several cultures. Scott Badger "Vita Perpetua" __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Yahoo! GeoCities - quick and easy web site hosting, just $8.95/month. http://geocities.yahoo.com/ps/info1 Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=18044