X-Message-Number: 26849
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 2005 10:01:00 -0400
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: More on anonymity and simulating brains

More comments on anonymity and computers imitating brains:

For what it's worth, I have never submitted messages to Cryonet
or elsewhere under a pseudonym or anonymously. Still, some more
points on messages: if someone sends a message anonymously, then
no one can automatically trust them to know ANYTHING. This means
that anonymous or pseudonymous messages must have more references
and description to support what they claim. (I note that that
extra referencing/description generally isn't provided).

This remains particularly true when the message may conflict
with what its readers believe. It's very rare for such messages
to affect us unless they give reasons for their claim (references).
Messages by known persons can stand up better on the basis of
the knowledge of the person sending them. Put simply, if Joe 
Waynick sends a message about Alcor to Cryonet, it's going to
be far more substantial because of its open origin, as opposed 
to some anonymous or pseudonymous person sending exactly the
same message. This is, of course, the main problem with messages
from anyone who posts anonymously or using a pseudonym on
Cryonet.

I also note that Yvan Bozzonetti in msg #26838 discusses computer
simulation of synapses. Yes, synapses can be quite complex. However
I'd also say that unlike neurons, a single synapse does not need
lots of computers to simulate. It's not got any parallelism, so
that we don't run into the problems caused by simulating parallel
machines with fewer machines: the problem I pointed out in my 
last message on computer-simulated brains (for Yvan).

         Best wishes and long long life for all,

              Thomas Donaldson

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