Transhumanites,
John Grigg recently posted some great stories about problems most people have about uploading included below.
But of course I believe this issue is completely resolved if this so far most popular theory of consciousness turns out to be true:
http://canonizer.com/topic.asp/44/3How uploading will be done if such is true is described in the short 5th and 6th chapter of the short story entitled 1229 Years After Titanic available here:
http://home.comcast.net/~brent.allsop/If you agree with this, or if anyone thinks this isn't possible as described, or if you think uploading like this doesn't completely eliminate all of these problems, I'd sure love to capture all such point of view (POV) in either the canonized topic on the Hard Problem, or in the feedback topic about the story.
So far there are 5 people that agree with or enjoy this story in supportive camps
John Grigg:
I always liked the "self-circuit" idea of cryonics giant, Robert Ettinger. I think a good story for exploring the idea of uploading and identity is the one of two scientists who vehemently debate whether a perfectly identical copy of you is TRULY and completely *you*. The two scientists build a matter duplication device and the researcher who believes a perfect copy is absolutely indistinguishable from himself in all ways goes ahead and makes a copy of...., himself! The scientist who had argued that a perfect copy was not to be confused with the original very calmly takes a 44 magnum handgun from a desk drawer, points it at the head of the original scientist (not the perfect in all respects copy of him), and says, "now just how certain are you that your life is utterly indistinguishable from your perfect copy?" LOL
There was an Outer Limits episode where a race of very technologically advanced and yet pacifistic (roughly human-sized) Saurians came to the aid of a very polluted and over-populated Earth that is barely surviving. The aliens hold out the promise of new worlds to explore and colonize due to the amazing "teleportation" machines that they are willing to share with us.
But their alien mentality is brought out when a female human scientist is "teleported" to one of their worlds but the original woman is left alive. It turns out their "teleportation devices" are simply a very sophisticated duplication technology! They take it for granted that the original traveler at point A is to be killed/vaporized (according to their laws) as soon as the copy is successfully created at point B. The idea of having multiple copies of the same being running around is seen as highly unethical by the aliens and so they demand the death of the women, or they will withdraw their support from humanity. The human concept of a "self-circuit" is totally irrelevant to the reptilian Saurians, who despite being pacificists, still appear to be very cold and callous by human standards. The human leader must make a very hard decision... The plot was in spirit quite similar to the classic Tom Godwin science fiction short story, "The Cold Equations."
Stories can sometimes be good food for thought.
