- Joined
- Jun 8, 2015
If consciousness depends on quantum states of the molecules of the brain, and transferring the quantum state will necessarily destroy the original one, although there are a minority of theorists who think that true quantum duplication is possible,
Ghost in the Shell had the most realistic (IMHO) way to address this issue - keep the brain, keep it alive, and just quickly move it from meat to robot body like quickly running a dolphin from tank to tank. The whole thorny "what IS consciousness and can even the best future quantum computer copy it, upload it and then download it with no errors?" question can be end-run by reducing the "robobrain" concept to an interface issue with a regular working brain, not a mastery of the brain's programming itself to the point you can copy/paste it. A much more believable issue to solve since we know the brain can output electrical pulses, it's not an unreasonable suspension of disbelief to posit medical science could someday harness/amplify those to operate a cybernetic prosthesis.
If we accept that as possible, well, bam, you're effectively immortal unless directly slain or you live long enough to finally develop a brain issue.... which everyone will probably succumb to eventually as that's the only organic part left and no complex organic tissue lives forever, eventually a misfolded protein or cancerous cell that doesn't self-destruct on time will get you. But without having to worry about the other 90% of a body failing you/giving you cancer/whatnot.....I could easily see average human life doubling, or tripling, and with a synthetic body, you get full enjoyment out of ALL that time, not just the first 50 years....
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