Living Forever

[PerpetualImperfexion]

Alright this is going to start out off topic but I promise it will get there. If we were to compare the human brain to terabytes it is estimated to be the equivalent of 1000 terabytes. So lets assume in this debate that we are capable of creating a microchip that can hold 1000 terabytes. This chip is then wired into your brain. It stores all your memories, emotions, personality, goals, and motives from the time the chip is implanted to death. Also lets say that human cloning has had a favorable out come. This chip is then inserted into a clone so that it would hold all of those mental traits you had. So what's the question(s). Would you consider having this chimp implanted, do you think theoretically this clone would function the same way you did, do you think this would technically be you, and lastly would you consider this living forever?

[Jupiter]

maybe not forever, but for a long time, maybe.

[Skeptical Bear]

It would be nice to store all my stuff. I don't know if I would wanna do it though. I would never want a clone but if it happens to have this chip on him, I think it would act around the same as I did in certain situations. I wouldn't consider it living forever because my actual self is dead and a clone who even though has this chip that might make them act like me, will be someone completely different. The concept of me will live on for a longer period.

[Erasmus]

maybe not forever, but for a long time, maybe.

My thoughts to a T.

[PerpetualImperfexion]

maybe not forever, but for a long time, maybe.

Could you explain what you mean?

It would be nice to store all my stuff. I don't know if I would wanna do it though. I would never want a clone but if it happens to have this chip on him, I think it would act around the same as I did in certain situations. I wouldn't consider it living forever because my actual self is dead and a clone who even though has this chip that might make them act like me, will be someone completely different. The concept of me will live on for a longer period.

Why wouldn't you want to be cloned? Also what do you mean by "actual self".



I personally would consider it living forever. You would effect the world the same way you would if you never died. Something just occurred to me though, if the brain is theoretically only able to store a certain amount of information after a couple life times would the chip run out of memory? I suppose this could be solved by adding more memory to the chip. Technically you could insert a transmitter in the brain and have it transmit memories, feelings, etc into chips that are implanted in other, possibly safer, parts of the body. Or possibly in other people...

[Thanatos]

The debate really comes down to what are we? If I die now and all my memories, etc. are implanted into a clone, Am I still me? Or is there a difference in the consciousness or the spirit or whatever, that isn't captured through this method?

Personally, Sounds good, sign me up for 5.

[Skeptical Bear]

It's like saying you make a photocopy of a document. They look the same but the original one will be the one I photocopied off of in the first place. Same goes for this. I see what you mean though. And I wouldn't consider it living forever because it won't be me, myself, and I experiencing the world another hundred years.(If it lives that long) Now if the chip it self aided in letting ME live for much longer, then I'd consider that living "forever"

[PerpetualImperfexion]

The debate really comes down to what are we? If I die now and all my memories, etc. are implanted into a clone, Am I still me? Or is there a difference in the consciousness or the spirit or whatever, that isn't captured through this method?

Personally, Sounds good, sign me up for 5.

Well nice to know that if I made advances in technology, neuro-science, and cloning at least someone would take me seriously when I presented this. Honestly this is my goal in life... or at least in this life.



I would like to believe that everything that makes up us is based off of the things we see, feel, hear, etc. We are all like CD-Rom's we start out blank, but over time our experiences shape our personalities. If all these experiences were put into a different brain I would like to believe that they would effect this person the same way. On the other hand, different experiences effect people differently. And there are so many different pieces to a brain that odds are you wouldn't be able to make one exactly the same as the other (at least without trying billions of billions of times). Do you think that certain experiences effect people based on the size, shape, and general make of the brain, or do you think we all start out as blank discs.

[ImCoolBeans]

It's an interesting thought - the thought of living through multiple time periods and experiencing all of the drastic culture changes and shocks - but I have to think, wouldn't you get sick of the same routines forever? Forever can be a pretty lonely thing as well, some people have a hard time making friends and forming relationships, and those personality traits can be very difficult, and even impossible to break. As Eric said, I would want to live for a long time (most likely), but probably not forever.

[CuriousDestruction]

lol, my thoughts are mine and my own, i'd never want any other living thing to have them, even a clone. Besides i don't need more of me. And more importantly. The world constantly needs new people, new ideas. I will die someday. And thankfully, someone else will be born that is not me and will have completely different views and a different life. And the new ideas this person brings to the table may save the world. The world is in constant need of new ideas. So no, i'll die one day and make room for the next person.

[kenoloor]

I recall discussing this with Jon (Donkey) in a previous ROTW thread; he talked about the idea that the world would change there would be plenty of things to occupy oneself with, what with all the advances in technology, medical shit, cultural evolution, etc. Eh, I still don't think I'd want to live forever. Maybe if I were living forever, but not living on the earth, having a "gods'-eye-view" of the world I would enjoy it a little more, however I find the idea of immortality to be disgusting in that I would have to put up with people's shit for eternity. That's a fucking long time.

[Amaryllis]

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus

Firstly, our brain is not all we are, it's a combination of many different things but anyhow, science aside. Assuming we could transfer all memories into a clone, the clone would not be the exact same replica.

The limbic system, neocortex and reptilian complex would not be the same and our brains would not be shaped and sized the same way (unless they duplicated that, too.) People who've suffered or suffer from eating disorders, schizophrenia, dysmorphia and other mental illnesses have different brains. Or rather, their abnormal brain shape and size leads to their mental illness. If you transferred our memories into a chip, you would not be transferring our abnormalities (at least I think so) and therefor, we wouldn't be the same people. Even if we had the same memories.

Before the advancements in medicine, knowledge and technology, people rarely lived till 80. Yet now, many 50 year olds are still working. Point is, humans adapt or at least we're supposed to. 10 year olds get bored, what makes you think a 160 year old is any more odd? We never truly master everything or anything and there's always more to learn.

Some people are easily bored, some find things to do and feel there is too little time (like me) so it's more a matter of the person than the situation.

Returning to the quote, we constantly change. Our brains constantly change. The links in our minds constantly change. We're never really "us." Last year I had a different personality, the year before I did and all the years before and after. No one has a "fixed personality," change is a constant and we all can change.

If cloning rids humans of the imperfections in their brains (well not really possible since we don't really know what "perfect" is. But as in, so undesirable illnesses do not exist) I don't see a problem with it. Except for overpopulation. We can't all live in 5-star hotels. We need people for manual labour (unless in the future we have machines to do truly everything but who's going to want to work if that's the case? Whatever, whole different debate.)

Basically, no. You won't be the same person. But then again, we never are.

[Donkey]

I recall discussing this with Jon (Donkey) in a previous ROTW thread; he talked about the idea that the world would change there would be plenty of things to occupy oneself with, what with all the advances in technology, medical shit, cultural evolution, etc. Eh, I still don't think I'd want to live forever. Maybe if I were living forever, but not living on the earth, having a "gods'-eye-view" of the world I would enjoy it a little more, however I find the idea of immortality to be disgusting in that I would have to put up with people's shit for eternity. That's a fucking long time.
http://www.virtualteen.org/forums/showpost.php?p=1538636&postcount=14

Indeedio :) I don't think living forever would be all that bad, you'd be able to travel all across space eventually.

[PerpetualImperfexion]

"No man ever steps in the same river twice, for it's not the same river and he's not the same man." - Heraclitus

Firstly, our brain is not all we are, it's a combination of many different things but anyhow, science aside. Assuming we could transfer all memories into a clone, the clone would not be the exact same replica.

The limbic system, neocortex and reptilian complex would not be the same and our brains would not be shaped and sized the same way (unless they duplicated that, too.) People who've suffered or suffer from eating disorders, schizophrenia, dysmorphia and other mental illnesses have different brains. Or rather, their abnormal brain shape and size leads to their mental illness. If you transferred our memories into a chip, you would not be transferring our abnormalities (at least I think so) and therefor, we wouldn't be the same people. Even if we had the same memories.

Before the advancements in medicine, knowledge and technology, people rarely lived till 80. Yet now, many 50 year olds are still working. Point is, humans adapt or at least we're supposed to. 10 year olds get bored, what makes you think a 160 year old is any more odd? We never truly master everything or anything and there's always more to learn.

Some people are easily bored, some find things to do and feel there is too little time (like me) so it's more a matter of the person than the situation.

Returning to the quote, we constantly change. Our brains constantly change. The links in our minds constantly change. We're never really "us." Last year I had a different personality, the year before I did and all the years before and after. No one has a "fixed personality," change is a constant and we all can change.

If cloning rids humans of the imperfections in their brains (well not really possible since we don't really know what "perfect" is. But as in, so undesirable illnesses do not exist) I don't see a problem with it. Except for overpopulation. We can't all live in 5-star hotels. We need people for manual labour (unless in the future we have machines to do truly everything but who's going to want to work if that's the case? Whatever, whole different debate.)

Basically, no. You won't be the same person. But then again, we never are.

My whole idea is that people would have the same goals and motives. In other words if Castro were to get his hands on this he could continue being a greedy asshole of a dictator for another lifetime.

[lipstick_kisses23]

i don't really think i'd want that if i'm not really the one experiencing the "life"

[Thunduhbuhlt]

Alright this is going to start out off topic but I promise it will get there. If we were to compare the human brain to terabytes it is estimated to be the equivalent of 1000 terabytes. So lets assume in this debate that we are capable of creating a microchip that can hold 1000 terabytes. This chip is then wired into your brain. It stores all your memories, emotions, personality, goals, and motives from the time the chip is implanted to death. Also lets say that human cloning has had a favorable out come. This chip is then inserted into a clone so that it would hold all of those mental traits you had. So what's the question(s). Would you consider having this chimp implanted, do you think theoretically this clone would function the same way you did, do you think this would technically be you, and lastly would you consider this living forever?
i don't know, unless you had someone else have it done, i don't think it would be you, ya know, but then we would get into each individual religious beliefs on souls and heaven and stuff like that that would change things for each person, so I am gonna say no...i think.