[geeks] [rescue] consciousness immortality [was: Sun Sparcstation 20 hard disks]

[Mouse]

> Suppose it turns out you *can* have a single consciousness existing
> simultaneously, mirrored or distributed across both organic and
> silicon substrates, or otherwise in some form combining both software
> and wetware.  The next question becomes, *how many* software copies
> can be a part of this consciousness?

Interesting question, but one more for experiment if-and-when than
anything now, it seems to me.

> And can they act independently from the wetware copy?

If there's only a single consciousness inhabiting the lot of them, I'm
not sure that makes any mroe sense than for me to, now, talk about my
arms acting independently from the rest of me.

I'm not sure whether I really have an expectation that a consciousness
will be able to inhabit silicon instead of protoplasm.  I feel
reasonably sure we can (and will, barring some kind of catastrophic
collapse) go the intelligence amplification route, improving HCI to the
point where the distinction between your (generic "your") human mind
and your silicon assist starts to blur.

Then things will get interesting. :-)

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