From: Michael Roy Ames (michaelroyames@hotmail.com)
Date: Mon Aug 26 2002 - 19:30:15 MDT
Rafal Smigrodzki <rms2g@virginia.edu> wrote:
>
> ### I see some interesting analogies between the ideas you use here and
the
> perennial copy/identity debate.
> [snip]
> To demand to have all intermediate steps explained and to
accept/physically
> experience them your on your way to transcension is a continuist position.
I would agree: that is a continuist position. I do not hold that position.
In my reply to Cliff Stabbert I was commenting on goals, both current and
future, and whether I would be in the decision-making loop when it comes to
choosing/defining those goals. In order to have (at least) some control
over my own transcension, I expect to *have to* go through several
intermediate steps, growing and learning along the way. If I can understand
(and agree with) an SI's proposed goal-change in one go, then: Change me,
Baby! Bring it on! I couldn't give a hoot about the copy/identity issue...
I am far more concerned about who will be deciding my goals for me. Who
will be in charge of my life? Will it be me, an SI, or a mixture? I
currently believe it will have to be mixture, in order to ensure some
modicum of protection against the nasties... both external Dick-Dastardlies,
and those within my own animal brain.
> You reject a transhuman progeny if you know ve is the product of the FAI
> directly molding your neural pathways, even if the outcome is the same as
> what you might have reached the hard way, all the way down to implanted
> memories.
No. If I could understand all that in advance, I would be the first in
line... and make a backup copy please :)
> I must say my own position is somewhat ambivalent - although I can
conceive
> of the FAI as bereft of any of the nasty tendencies that could make
psychic
> engineering done by humans a likely nightmare, I still would prefer
> conscious continuity over instantaneous transition.
Indeed, me too. But not for the _experience_ necessarily. I want to be 'in
on' the changes as much as possible. I want to know what is being done to
my mentality, and how, and why - for interest's sake alone! Not to mention
the fact that I would want to continue the process of improvement myself, on
my own mentality. What better way to learn about my own head-space than to
watch an SI reprogramming it... or, if this is not possible, then to view an
annotated recording of the process at a later time.
If it isn't already obvious, I'm really looking forward to it :D
Michael Roy Ames
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