Secrets of the Mind
Scientists continue to work on mapping the neural pathways of the human brain. It is only a matter of time — around maybe 50–150 years — before we know the truth. Are we mere robots: mechanically more complex but fundamentally no different from a rock or a lever, or are we special beings with an intangible quality that takes us beyond being mere machines?
If we learn we are machines, what next? Should we move into a virtual reality of our own devising? Create new humans from scratch to prove we can? Drop all codes of ethics and morality on the pretense that we are all mere mechanisms and our actions are not really our own decide even though it may seem that way?
Or, on the other hand if we find out we are special, will that be justification enough for decades of robot slave labor? I mean they are just machines, right? They don’t have the secret aura or whatever.
But either way, the true important thing is that we must be prepared to use our new knowledge of the human brain to enable everyone to ‘blog by thinking. Documenting our experiences at this time will be very useful for future more enlightened generations (who will know the secret reason of why it actually doesn’t matter if we are mechanical or not.). They will be able to look back at us and laugh and laugh at how silly the old days were. But really they might need stories from the past to help them repair time rifts or something. Yet another possible reason that ‘blogging is important.
kthxbye.
March 2nd, 2006 at 9:54 am
Scientists already know enough to determine that we are pretty much just machines. Vast, but slow parallel computing devices with chemicals doodads to determine “mood” and various modes of operation. There’s the consciouess part tat we don’t know but the rest is quite clear.
So, are we just machines? Yeah, at least mostly.
Still, it’s good to takes sides. I think there’s a desire by most people to feel “special” - like they’re not that same as a computer or an insect. If you deliberately push that to the backburner the “machine reflecting on itself” theory of consiousness is pretty viable - at least it is to me. All the consciousness theories have holes except for the spritual ones because they get to use magic and shit (no fair). The Turing Machine apologists are as bad as intelligent designers becuase they ignore research in favour of dusty old books and arguments made decades ago. But it does matter and aways will matter for one big reason that will seem more relevant in the decades to come: if you make a perfect copy of yourself and kill the original, did you just commit suicide or is your consiousness still alive? This is very important when old people want to transfer themselves to a less biological vessel in the late 21st century (androids). When people on Star Trek use a transporter, are they committing suicide and creating another consciousness on the other pad or doesn their consciousness go along with it. Pothead dialogue at this point but if that’s how you travel to work in 2506 AD, you’ll really want to know.
As for robot slave labour: as long as they’re made dumb enough, nobody will care. Proof: ants. An ant probably as more computing power than the computer you’re using right now (I guess, I dunno much about ants) but people think nothing of killing a colony of them. Can you prove that an ant isn’t conscious? No? Is a dog conscious? Probably. Can I kill and eat a dog? How about a bunny? Mmmmmm. Bunny. Conscious or not: if they seem to have a cosciousness (which is getting easier and easier to fake) people will treat them as if they do. We’re pretty sensitive that way. Rip a kid’s doll in half for proof of that (try it, it’s fun!).
I am not blog answerer type of person crackpot - just randomly stumbled on this.
March 2nd, 2006 at 10:28 am
ANTOCIDE IS MURDER