MartinSE
08-23-2022, 07:01 PM
Imagine if you will,
One day soon, you have an accident and damage the part of your brain that does visual processing. You are rushed to the hospital and doctors replace that part of your brain with a computer chip/implant that perfectly replicates the function of the visual cortex being replaced. You wake after your surgery and can see perfectly, maybe ever better than before.
Are you sill you, part of your brain has been replaced.
Soon after, you have another accident, another part of your brain gets replaced - full functionality is restored.
Are you still you?
Being a very clumsy person this continues over a couple years and eventually your entire brain has been replaced with artificial parts.
Are you still you? The parts work so well you have all your memories, in fact you now have perfect memory and can recall everything you have ever experienced or learned.
Are you still you? What makes you you? You think you are you, you have all your members...
This is not some silly SciFi discussion. This is beginning today. Many people are already having replacement parts - heart vales, cataract surgery replaces your lens, cochlear implants replace inner ear function. Digital camera sensors are being implanted in eyes and connected to the optical nerve and restore vision to people that were blind. These are happening today.
None are perfect, most not better than what we are born with but we are making advances daily.
Parts of roach brains were replaced with computer chips years ago, mice brains have been augmented more recently.
These areas of research are happening, and progress is happening. The above scenario is coming - probably within 30 to 50 years. Some of you will probably see it.
So, if your entire brain (or your entire body and brain) is replaced, and you can't tell, except things work as good or better ...
Are you still you?
An obvious answer is "if your soul resides in that cyborg body" then, yes, if not, then no. That is certainly one possible answer. For those of us that don't believe in souls, the answer becomes more complicated.
And if that intrigues you, let's take it another step. Your entire body and brain have been replaced with manufactured hardware - doesn't matter if it is organic or mechanical, it believes it is the original you. So, since the parts were manufactured, why not make a few extra copies - duplicates.
Say, you have a duplicate made and instruct it to kill your husbands lover while "you" are conveniently at a police convention - perfect alibi.
Are you guilty of murder? There is DNA and video and eye witnesses that saw you do the deed.
No longer is the question "Are you you", it is instead which you is you?
"Enquiring minds want to know"
(EDITED: This post is based on information contained in the book on "Information Singularity" by Ray Kurtzwell)
One day soon, you have an accident and damage the part of your brain that does visual processing. You are rushed to the hospital and doctors replace that part of your brain with a computer chip/implant that perfectly replicates the function of the visual cortex being replaced. You wake after your surgery and can see perfectly, maybe ever better than before.
Are you sill you, part of your brain has been replaced.
Soon after, you have another accident, another part of your brain gets replaced - full functionality is restored.
Are you still you?
Being a very clumsy person this continues over a couple years and eventually your entire brain has been replaced with artificial parts.
Are you still you? The parts work so well you have all your memories, in fact you now have perfect memory and can recall everything you have ever experienced or learned.
Are you still you? What makes you you? You think you are you, you have all your members...
This is not some silly SciFi discussion. This is beginning today. Many people are already having replacement parts - heart vales, cataract surgery replaces your lens, cochlear implants replace inner ear function. Digital camera sensors are being implanted in eyes and connected to the optical nerve and restore vision to people that were blind. These are happening today.
None are perfect, most not better than what we are born with but we are making advances daily.
Parts of roach brains were replaced with computer chips years ago, mice brains have been augmented more recently.
These areas of research are happening, and progress is happening. The above scenario is coming - probably within 30 to 50 years. Some of you will probably see it.
So, if your entire brain (or your entire body and brain) is replaced, and you can't tell, except things work as good or better ...
Are you still you?
An obvious answer is "if your soul resides in that cyborg body" then, yes, if not, then no. That is certainly one possible answer. For those of us that don't believe in souls, the answer becomes more complicated.
And if that intrigues you, let's take it another step. Your entire body and brain have been replaced with manufactured hardware - doesn't matter if it is organic or mechanical, it believes it is the original you. So, since the parts were manufactured, why not make a few extra copies - duplicates.
Say, you have a duplicate made and instruct it to kill your husbands lover while "you" are conveniently at a police convention - perfect alibi.
Are you guilty of murder? There is DNA and video and eye witnesses that saw you do the deed.
No longer is the question "Are you you", it is instead which you is you?
"Enquiring minds want to know"
(EDITED: This post is based on information contained in the book on "Information Singularity" by Ray Kurtzwell)