Do you expect to die?

[Borachio]

I fully expect to die. And, let me tell you, I'm not looking forward to it. Not one little bit.

I'm actually looking forward to being as large a burden to as many people as possible for as long as possible.

I may even poke people with my stick.

Possibly gratuitously. I haven't decided.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I fully expect to die. And, let me tell you, I'm not looking forward to it. Not one little bit.

I'm actually looking forward to being as large a burden to as many people as possible for as long as possible.

Having been involved in this first hand, I don't think it is worth it. Whatever pleasure he might have taken from being a burden was totally spoiled for my dad by the knowledge that the people he was burdening clearly had the upper hand.

 

[Leonel]

Oh yes and I'm sure I'll fully deal with the implications when it happens but I also hold out hope that I'll get to live forever somehow simply so I can watch humanity prosper and eventual downfall. It'd be nice to have a whole planet to myself.

 

[Borachio]

Having been involved in this first hand, I don't think it is worth it. Whatever pleasure he might have taken from being a burden was totally spoiled for my dad by the knowledge that the people he was burdening clearly had the upper hand.

I can see how this could happen. But I volunteer with elderly Alzheimer victims, and I've been taking notes.

 

[Greizer85]

Yes, but if I could prevent it, I'd do it in a heartbeat with any measures necessary (well, almost). The thought of not existing anymore... *shivers* I'm not sure if 'terror' is the right word for something that's fundamentally incomprehensible, but it'll have to suffice.

That so many people can be so comfortable with the idea of personal death means, imo, one of three things:
1) They're not giving the matter proper thought (or are incapable of it, tying to point #2);
2) They're victims to an evolutionary programming that dictates it's not good to have too many humans alive at any given time, and encourages 'noble self-sacrifice' for the benefit of the greater group;
3) They're capable of understanding (or 'grokking', if you prefer ) a faith or philosophy or *something for which there is no word, and can't ever be* that assures them it will all be alright in the final end, either through reincarnation or somesuch, or by some cosmic principle that gives mystic comfort, even with the extinguishing of their individual consciousness, to those who are able to lead better lives than cowards like me. I tend to think of #3 as part of the smoke-screen of #2 -- a more refined version of the xxx-virgin Paradise for the unwashed masses... On most days, that is. There is a certain wistfulness, a longing or a way for the wind to turn that can be sensed about some things, places, or people. It infers something greater, but gives no promises. It's enough for certain people. The best I can do until I attain the finances to fund longevity research is resolve to be one of them, on the good days (or less horrible ones). For the cold logicians out there (and I know you are legion) -- false comfort is still comforting.

 

[BenitoChavez]

I certainly expect and hope to die. Don't get me wrong, I like living and hope to live a long time. But eternal life would get awfully dull after a while and since the quality of life tends to degrade the longer we live...well after a while living wouldn't be worthwhile anymore. Even if I could maintain a high quality of life, I think that eventually after a long time pure boredom would eventually get the better of me.

 

[Oruc]

Of course, I wouldn't wish eternal life on anybody.

 

[duckstab]

Yes, I expect to die. Even if some form of extreme life extension becomes technologically feasible in the next couple decades, it's probably not going to come cheap and hence not be available to the vast majority of people.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

I expect to, yes. I reckon the most likely cause is either my lymphoma returning in a more non-treatable form, or else my pale skin and the amount of sunburns I've had in my life will cause me some horrible form of skin cancer. I'll be surprised if it's something else that takes me out.

That said if anyone is working on tech to upload a human consciousness into an immortal robot body I'd love to get in on that!

 

[Borachio]

But why? Would it be really you who was uploaded or just a copy of the data? Leaving you to perish in your body just the same.

I mean, from the point of view of the data (together with all the programming structures), assuming it was sufficiently sophisticated, it would appear that it had survived the death of the body. But that's not really you in any meaningful sense is it?

Or do you think it is?

 

[El_Machinae]

I find the idea of adding neural substrate and migrating the consciousness to be much more palatable.

 

[Borachio]

Yeah. Why not? That does seem more plausible.

But that still leaves me wondering whether it's the same person. In fact, am I really the same person today as I was yesterday?

And if not, in some sense, then does all this death business matter at all?

 

[El_Machinae]

In fact, am I really the same person today as I was yesterday?

in many important ways, you're not. In many important ways, you are.

If you're happy thinking you're still you (and I'm happy thinking I'm me), then we can work off of that foundation.

 

[Wolfbeckett]

But why? Would it be really you who was uploaded or just a copy of the data? Leaving you to perish in your body just the same.

I mean, from the point of view of the data (together with all the programming structures), assuming it was sufficiently sophisticated, it would appear that it had survived the death of the body. But that's not really you in any meaningful sense is it?

Or do you think it is?

A question that has been asked at least since Star Trek introduced people to the concept of disintegrating a body and reforming it back on the ship .

If the choice is between taking that chance and certain death by cancer I know which I'd choose.

 

[Borachio]

Absolutely, that people transporter is a real death trap. I wouldn't dream of going near one.

Choice: staying in one spot or dying? Hmm. That's a tough one!

 

[Mouthwash]

But why? Would it be really you who was uploaded or just a copy of the data? Leaving you to perish in your body just the same.

I mean, from the point of view of the data (together with all the programming structures), assuming it was sufficiently sophisticated, it would appear that it had survived the death of the body. But that's not really you in any meaningful sense is it?

Or do you think it is?

Your identity and your consciousness are a product of patterns in a meaty substrate. If the substrate dissolves, it doesn't follow that you've dissolved. So why would mind uploading or teleporting kill you?

 

[Borachio]

It all depends on whether you believe in disembodied consciousness or not, I think. I don't believe I do, lacking any evidence of it. But it seems that you might.

 

[Zack]

I'd be rather shocked if I didn't.

edit: die, that is

 

[Mouthwash]

It all depends on whether you believe in disembodied consciousness or not, I think. I don't believe I do, lacking any evidence of it. But it seems that you might.

Why is a human body the only possible medium for a consciousness?

 

[Wolfbeckett]

Our consciousness is just electrical signals firing in the meat. Unless there is something special about the medium, there's no reason it can't fire equally well in electronic circuits.