44 replies to this topic

[braz]

The main thing is the mind. Like every part of our bodies, our brains also deteriorate, however, they can't be replaced too easily. I can envision every single part of our bodies becomind renewable, but how the hell will they take care of the brain renewal? As far as I understand, the brain loses its functions due to brain cells being damaged throughout the lifespan of an individual. Is there a realistic way of preserving our minds, our conscience - the one thing that truly counts? The moravec transfer sound like complete sci fi, no way can it be done during our lifespan. Are there any other, more realistic techniques being developed?

[garethnelsonuk]

The brain can probably be repaired the same as the other organs.

[MichaelAnissimov]

The brain can probably be repaired the same as the other organs.

Yes, and according to the teachings of Reverend Tipler, every human who ever lived will be resurrected in the final seconds before the collapse of the universe, where the photons they emitted during life will be analyzed and used to reconstruct their brains and personalities.

Is there a realistic way of preserving our minds, our conscience - the one thing that truly counts?

Cryonics.

The moravec transfer sound like complete sci fi, no way can it be done during our lifespan.

We already have microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems today, some of which are theoretically capable of traversing the human bloodstream. Is it really that big of a step to NEMS that can scan neurons? No.

A thing to learn about technology is that it must be judged on the basis of technical and engineering difficulty, not the extreme-soundingness of the consequences. What if you were in charge of the US during WWII, and let Hitler get the bomb, just because you felt that it "sounds too wild for it to happen in our lifetime"?

[basho]

Great thread!

In order of difficulty, I'd go for:

1. Permanent body hair removal.
2. Removal of moles, repair of UV damage.
3. Sensory enhancement (vision, hearing, etc).
4. Replacement of various anatomical systems including...
5. Skeletal replacement (especially a hardened skull and vertebral column).
6. Total skin replacement with something more rugged and less prone to UV damage, preferably skinnable (as in multiple designs, patterns, colours, hair options, etc).
7. Replacement of intra-cellular mechanisms with programmable, reliable error-correcting machinery.
8. Neural optimization and enhancement.
9. Substrate portability, total control over virtual and physical instantiations including neural implementation, structure and state.

Number 9 is the big one. It would open up interesting opportunities for experimentation. For example, I'd love to take complete snapshots of my mental and emotional state at varying points in time (neural version control?), then reinstantiate (wake) them at various times and places in the far future. It would be like time-travel for that particular version of me.

[garethnelsonuk]

Why is neural optimization and enhancement more difficult than skeletal replacemant?

We have the technology for a BCI right now, someone stick some electrodes in my motor cortex please!

[basho]

Why is neural optimization and enhancement more difficult than skeletal replacemant?

We have the technology for a BCI right now, someone stick some electrodes in my motor cortex please!

I'm thinking of significant structural and performance enhancements to the underlying neural architecture. Faster response times, greater capacity, fine-grained control of learning, long-term memory and recall, greatly enhanced short-term memory, etc.

[garethnelsonuk]

Actual modification of the brain's fine structure then?

That is indeed more difficult, though in the meantime a BCI and an implant could do a lot. At some point i'm going to experiment with an EEG to see if i can get simple text input.

[Karomesis]

to be honest with you, I'd like to become non-human as soon as the technology becomes available.

limitations exasperate me, so I'll go until I can go no further. The final product of the evolutionary process.

I love sex, but alas there will be pleasures 1000 times more potent than that in the not too distant future. At that point the reproductive organ loss will mean nothing to me.

[garethnelsonuk]

I love  sex, but alas there will be pleasures 1000 times more potent than that in the not too distant future. At that point the reproductive organ loss will mean nothing to me.

That is a long long way off, and overcomng our limits need not mean losing our current pleasures (sexual and otherwise).

[basho]

...overcomng our limits need not mean losing our current pleasures (sexual and otherwise).

Transcending the constraints placed upon us by our biological/evolutionary heritage will open up entirely new dimensions of experience. Certainly the subjective experience of our current sensory pleasures would still be available, but we will not be limited to those few pleasures available to us in our present form.

I can see where you are coming from though. All this is still some time off, and there are things we can do now and in the near future to enhance our capabilities and extend our experiences.

[braz]

Yes, and according to the teachings of Reverend Tipler, every human who ever lived will be resurrected in the final seconds before the collapse of the universe, where the photons they emitted during life will be analyzed and used to reconstruct their brains and personalities.



Cryonics.



We already have microelectromechanical (MEMS) systems today, some of which are theoretically capable of traversing the human bloodstream.  Is it really that big of a step to NEMS that can scan neurons?  No.

A thing to learn about technology is that it must be judged on the basis of technical and engineering difficulty, not the extreme-soundingness of the consequences.  What if you were in charge of the US during WWII, and let Hitler get the bomb, just because you felt that it "sounds too wild for it to happen in our lifetime"?

I've always been an optimist, and I am truly optimistic about the development of life extension technology. I will do all I can for the achievement of this goal. I guess it's natural to feel doubts and questions when faced with a task of such complexity, but my intent is to overcome such doubts and proceed forward towards success. The "extreme-soundingness" of the task doesn't discourge me, it actually adds more desire and enthusiam to my life.

Surely, if in 1920's just about anyone would be told that they could fly to the moon and walk on it, or that there would be computers, internet and of course nuclear weapons in the near future, people would respond with complete disbelief.

[samson]

As for the original topic, everything. Everything there is to "enchance", everything there is to change, everything there is to experience.

As for the question "how long would you still feel like 'you'", I say as long as my consciousness remains and as long as the change "speed" retains a level where I can adjust and thus retain my "self". I mean, I've never thought that I have a "self" of sorts, just a collection of exchangeable modules bound to each other. You can replace all the modules, but you can't do it all at once, for that would be simply putting together a new complex, ending the old consciousness. Funny that, the "soul" of sorts. Need to write about that too...
You see? A human "self", human consciousness, is composed to parts that change both within themselves and between each other. You can replace singular neurons, even multiple at once, and still retain your "self", but should you replace ALL of them at once (even provided that you copy the information), you will end the "self", the consciousness, that originally created them.
Yes, I know, it belongs in the What constitutes "me"-thread.

[garethnelsonuk]

Bringing this back up again as i'm starting to implement some of the ideas I mentioned via my wearable PC. I'm trying to integrate it closer to my nervous system over time and currently have been investigating the use of phosphenes for retinal display and using EEG data for input.

I'm rather curious - who else is seriously hacking their nervous system here?

[samantha]

I am not sure. I am sure that I would bring my body to perfect health and youth. I would go in for some radical upgrades to memory, visualization and thinking capacity. I would get an always available link to the world wide information grid and internal communications installed. I would want the freedom to separate conscious POV perception units off from the body or bodies. I would like to have a body or bodies when I want/need one and of the kind most useful to the purpose at hand. I would want to be able to group mind with others interested at will but also separate out from such groups when I wished. I would want the capability to download actual knowledge and expertise in any area I chose. I would of course also want the upgrades necessary to my mind to make such downloads possible.

Would I be "me" at the end? What "end"? Whatever else would I be no matter how much I changed?

[JonesGuy]

I think that a reasonable end-goal would be to own an entire star system for myself, and incorporate the materials into my being. I figure it's a common enough resource that everyone can have one, and the distances between them will mean that we'll be as isolated as we want to be while still having a community.

Oh, and I've already had lasik!