X-Message-Number: 25487
Date: Fri, 7 Jan 2005 18:38:03 -0700 (MST)
Subject: Coadjutant
From: "Mathew Sullivan" <>

Since we are still at play 

Scott,

Predicting the future is such a slippery slope; it is easy to get the
details wrong.  I suspect the linking of minds won t fully mature until
after duplication technology is established.

Biological brains as we know them today will be limited in their ability
to process information, but consider the left brain vs. the right brain,
or those with multiple personalities.  Then take away the faults or
imperfections of biology and add full control.  One can easily argue we
already have multiple personalities to some degree which vary based on our
emotional state.

Once we are able to transfer our identity from place to place, bodies
become something you can buy, sell, rent, borrow, and share.  Even
identity might become something of a commodity; similar to swapping
baseball cards, but you don t have to give up your copy.  As people begin
to share information, the distinction from one identity to another becomes
less, and ultimately, you have a merging of separate identities into one.

I wouldn t be surprised to see new branches of society emerge, and in
greater variation than we see today.  My thinking is to let those with
old-fashioned values such as the Amish keep the planet for themselves and
the rest of us will move on.  People shouldn t be pressured to conform,
you know, merge with us or else.  There is plenty of room for everyone.

Provided we are still around after the Singularity has matured, I think
our numbers are an insignificant fraction of what they will be.  The
question in my mind is what will life be like once we have mastered all
the known and unknown laws of the universe?

Richard,

I don t believe we can depend on the speed of light to maintain a fully
synchronized distributive network, but have you considered what string
theory has to offer?  The proponents of string theory are speaking of
matter passing through matter, time warps, and instant communication
throughout the known universe.  IF the theory pans out, we or our
descendants may have some  mystical  experiences awaiting us.  In the mean
time, all that we can do is play with what might be with theoretical
physics and enjoy the ride as it unfolds.

If you are willing to shed the wetware for something more robust you can
chuck the flash-freezer;-)

P.s. I found this on betterhumans.com today:

Robot "Learns Like a Human"
Wireless link to external brain gives it smarts

http://www.betterhumans.com/News/news.aspx?articleID=2005-01-07-3

Mathew Sullivan

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