X-Message-Number: 32869
Date: Sat, 25 Sep 2010 13:13:37 -0700 (PDT)
From: david pizer <>
Subject: uploading thought experiment


Here is a thought experiment that should show you why uploading will not work as
a survival option for you.  I explained this to Mike Perry about 25 years ago.


1.  If you can upload a real person's mind into a computer, then you can also 
make a duplicate of that real person.

2.  Imagine a duplicate of YOU has been made.


3.  They bring the duplicate of YOU into the room across from you and you become
convinced that the duplicate has your exact mind and is a duplicate of you in 
every way.


4.  Then they point a gun at you and say "Since you are convinced the duplicate 
is an exact copy of you, do YOU mind if we kill you now and let the duplicate 
exist on?"


5.  Even if you thought that the duplicate was an exact copy of you, you would 
not want them to shoot YOU.

Why?


Because somewhere in YOUR mind you would realize that the duplicate was not YOU.
Perhaps YOU cannot completely realize that the duplicate is not YOU until you 
are faced with the prospect of the duplicate continuing on and YOU becoming dead
and ceasing to exist.  It is when one thinks of himself stopping to exist that 
they realize that a duplicate continuing on is not them surviving.


Until you are ready to say "no, I don't mind" (without any other conditions) 
when they ask if you mind if they kill you and just let the duplicate continue 
on, then you don't really believe that any duplicate is you.

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