X-Message-Number: 25477
Date: Wed, 05 Jan 2005 17:33:42 -0800
From: Mathew Sullivan <>
Subject: 

Thomas Donaldson,

My primary interest here is the belief that copies of the mind must deviate 
from one another over time which has been brought up more than once in 
recent discussions.  (The age old debates about identity have long been 
settled in my mind, and have a tendency to put me to sleep.)  As long as 
there is a free flow of information between copies and a resynchronization 
based on the knowledge and experience of all copies, I don t believe 
duplicate minds must deviate from one another.

Our minds are a result of a series of connections (cells or individual life 
forms) working together for the common good of the whole.  Imagine 
upgrading each cell within your body to the point that it is self-aware, 
and then combine the processing ability.

For those who wish to continue indefinitely as Homo Sapiens without 
enhancement, I believe duplicates would be ourselves, but then deviate from 
one another.  For those of us who want to improve upon ourselves, then no, 
they would not be the same as before, but a continuation and evolution of 
the former.

The enhanced version of ourselves would likely look back upon the original 
as we look upon our pets or maybe even an insect - a lower life form with 
limited abilities, not to be disrespectful of lower life forms.  Although I 
think most everyone here would agree that it is better to be the driver in 
a car then the bug on the windshield.

Technology is neither good nor bad, it is how one uses it; a hammer can be 
used to build homes for the homeless, or used to clobber someone over the 
head.  I think we should endeavor to do what is good and not let fear 
stifle progress of our own personal evolution.

Robert Ettinger,

Yes, I have something of a Tipler s philosophy with the understanding the 
universe is accelerating  for the time being.  I believe those who ascend 
from Homo Sapiens will become the new guardians of the universe to the ends 
that could easily be beyond our current comprehension.  Maybe those new 
guardians will change the fate of our universe or create a new universe(s).

We Homo Sapiens may be nothing more than fish in a blackened fish bowl that 
cannot appreciate what lies beyond the great wall, but with technology, we 
might be able to step outside the fishbowl and look with a different 
perspective.

Playfully yours,

Mathew Sullivan

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