re: How do y’all feel about digital immortality?

quote:

---

digital immortality

---

Pretty sure Jamiroquai said the future’s made of digital immortality.

Alright, no he didn’t… but now you’re singing a made-up song in your head.

Just plug my brain into a terminator style robot. Same meat source. Same me.

I wouldn’t do it. It’s better to say good bye to your love ones, turn off the switch and have a dreamless sleep forever.

quote:

---

Is it something you’d sign-up for if it’s available in your lifetime?

---

Hell no. I wouldn't want physical or digital immortality.

But there's problems with the whole concept. For one, how do we define "self" in the first place? What makes you you or me me? Does uploading my memories really make a computer "me?"

Then we must get into the whole free will vs. determinism debate. Is all neuronal activity pre-determined? If so, this would change once the brain is "uploaded" to the computer. This means, by definition, it is no longer "me." If we do believe in free will, then one could still make the argument that the uploaded data is "me."

Or does it even matter? If the computer can pass the Turing test and convince family members that it is me, then is that good enough? If it isn't "me" but can convince people who know me that it is me, then I would sign up for it. This way I could haunt my exes till eternity.