X-Message-Number: 3946
Date: Fri, 3 Mar 1995 14:03:45 -0500
From: "Bruce Zimov" <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS: Uploading


Robin Hanson said:
 
>Those who wait for just the right sort of upload brain to be 
>developed, meeting all their philosophical requirements for 
>"sameness", will likely find most of the economic niches filled 
>by the first sorts of uploads.
 
Exactly right! But, so what.  Those altruists who are comfortable 
with just playing a part in the process generated by the cooling of 
the earth's crust and its organic transition through chaotic 
non-linear thermodynamic phases which we call human economic history 
may not value whether or not their own survival is involved in uploading. 
 
"Altruist?" you say?  Yes, because when you are copied non-destructively
without disturbing the original in any way, you may have created an
economic competitor, halving your opportunities, and shared with it
your deepest hopes, dreams, needs, and desires. Masochist, may be a
more accurate term. Unless you're lonely, then I guess it could be
your best friend, or with a sex change, your perfect mate.  After all,
it would know you only too well.  
 
Copying. Just as good as life? Or, just as bad as death? The bottom line 
is that YOU are required to wake up in order to survive. 

Bruce Zimov


Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=3946