Us. Who we are. Are we a collection of chemical impulses and synapses that could be perfectly simulated by a sophisticated enough computer? Is that all we are? Are our memories nothing more than chemicals and circuits in a human brain?
If so, then is there any functional difference whatsoever between the person and the virtual clone? They live in different environments, but could you say the virtual clone is not a person? Could you say it's not you? If it has all the same memories as you, is it not you? Are you anything more than genetics and the sum total of all your experiences in this life? If not, then the clone is you.
But maybe we're more than those things. Maybe there's something in us that can't be replicated by a computer, no matter how powerful. In which case you'd be right. But I don't think you're automatically right ...
It's questions like that that make me love the Otherland series.
If so, then is there any functional difference whatsoever between the person and the virtual clone? They live in different environments, but could you say the virtual clone is not a person? Could you say it's not you? If it has all the same memories as you, is it not you? Are you anything more than genetics and the sum total of all your experiences in this life? If not, then the clone is you.
But maybe we're more than those things. Maybe there's something in us that can't be replicated by a computer, no matter how powerful. In which case you'd be right. But I don't think you're automatically right ...
It's questions like that that make me love the Otherland series.
Warder to starry_nite
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
Chapterfish — Nate's Writing Blog
http://chapterfish.wordpress.com
Lets talk Otherland and immortality *SPOILERS*
- 12/01/2010 08:33:54 PM
414 Views
It's a lot closer to immortality than anything else you can do?
- 12/01/2010 09:43:11 PM
280 Views
Also its the same beef I had with the 6th Day movie with Arnold *NM*
- 12/01/2010 09:45:38 PM
108 Views
Yeah, like they won't have fixed the whole immortality thing when they have neckplugs for computers. *NM*
- 12/01/2010 10:00:21 PM
113 Views
It connects to a fundamental question.
- 12/01/2010 11:50:59 PM
297 Views
On a slightly different note, I've always wondered the same thing about teleporting.
- 15/01/2010 03:12:55 PM
357 Views
This is protrayed in The Prestige movie, with Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale. gr8 movie *NM*
- 16/01/2010 08:46:53 AM
126 Views