From: lispunit_benrayfield@audivolv.com
Date: Tue Dec 01 2009 - 20:45:39 MST
I have a theory about consciousness thats relevant to if you could experience what your duplicate experiences. Its based on 2 small softwares I am planning to build, which I will quote from my JOIN post.
"Lisputer
http://sourceforge.net/projects/lisputer
SOURCEFORGE DESCRIPTION: "Don't panic". Based on Max Tegmark'stheories, a high-level quantum prog-lang for solomonoff, bayesian,determinism, nondeterminism, Global Consciousness Project. Plugin forSchrodingers Network Router. Recursion controls blur/sharpen ofmultiverse.
Schrodingers Network Router
http://sourceforge.net/projects/schrouter
SOURCEFORGE DESCRIPTION: Research framework for possibleinteractions between UDP packets as exponential amounts of uncertaintybuild up in divergently branching recursions through many computers onthe Internet. Set AI goals more/less uncertainty for multiverseblur/sharpen."
My theory is that consciousness is closely related to the blur/sharpen of the part of the multiverse you currently occupy, and an infinite number of multiverses usually partially or completely overlap in an infinite number of ways, as described by quantum wavefunctions.
If that theory is true, then you should be able to use the Lisputer (if I can build one that works) to use the blur/sharpen operators to do something like a binary-search to move your consciousness to some other place. Because your duplicate would be very similar to where your consciousness is now, that would be one of the easier targets.
This is all theoretical and untested, but its based on Max Tegmark's theory that universe = all math, and based on other things about quantum physics that appear to match my theory. I'm a beginner at quantum physics, but I'm trying to start by doing some unusual experiments.
I think a better way to phrase the concern than "continuity" is expectation of experience. I fully expect an upload to "be me" in basically every way. My concern is that I would not experience what they experience, just as I don't taste an apple when you bite it. Assuming I don't taste it when they bite it either, if I'm shot after (or before) that version is made, I don't expect to experience anything. I really like experiencing things, on inspection I care considerably more about that than if it can be said that "I exist". I consider myself an all right fellow, but there are plenty of other bright altruists who could do the things I want done just as well.
If it's discovered that we are routinely duplicated and one of us destroyed, I would be willing to give quite a lot to stop this process, and in so doing increase the chances that I will actually experience any of the future.
--- On Tue, 12/1/09, Johnicholas Hines <johnicholas.hines@gmail.com> wrote:
Suppose that (unbeknownst to all of us), we are routinely duplicated
and one copy is destroyed - some unknown physical process that has
been operating for a long time.
Do you have any desire to change the situation, to eliminate this
duplication-and-destruction? How much desire - what would you give up
in order obtain "continuity" (whatever that means)? If continuity was
actually very preferable to "duplication-and-destruction", then you
would have some intuition that you would be willing to give up
something in order to obtain continuity.
I personally experience almost no desire to eliminate this physical
phenomenon, which leads me to believe that my gut reaction against
duplication-and-destruction is actually irrational, and explainable in
terms of the status quo bias, and maybe an aversion to violence or
suicide.
Johnicholas
This archive was generated by hypermail 2.1.5 : Wed Jul 17 2013 - 04:01:05 MDT