Rogue Keeper on 26/2/2008 at 07:43
Of course not Matrix, Matrix is derivative. I had on my mind personality constructs as they are known since Neuromancer, where the personalities of dead people were held on memory chips.
But then who will maintain the physical cybernetic infrastructure and provide energy supply for it if all people go VR, huh?
Now I should figure out how to copy myself into my MP3 Jukebox. But will 30GB suffice? My mind can be quite expansive :erm:
june gloom on 26/2/2008 at 08:46
The human brain is basically capable of infinite storage, and is constantly adding to itself. However, it's like a faulty hard drive in that you'll never be able to access it all.
Rogue Keeper on 26/2/2008 at 08:55
Infinite storage, I don't think so. It seems only because the brain forgetting redundant info you don't find useful in practical life or don't recall for a long time. That's "hard drive maintenance". Besides that, neurons and axons and are dying as you get older (Multiple Sclerosis or Alzheimer) or cause other kind of brain damage to yourself, f.e. listen too much loud music or absorb certain chemicals. Neural connections are renewable, unfortunately neurons aren't.
Koki on 26/2/2008 at 09:23
Quote Posted by Ko0K
I'm not talking about a Matrix-like state where our minds will exist in an artificial world while our comatose bodies rest in a life-support system. I'm insinuating that the human race as we know it will go extinct, and our descendants in the form of AI, or 'artificial consciousness,' to be more precise, will carry on the human legacy.
Only when the last priest will get strangled... with a politician? Crap
Jennie&Tim on 26/2/2008 at 22:15
Quote Posted by Koki
It gained too much momentum to change several years ago.
Actually, our best bet is simply pollute the upper parts of the atmosphere with a bit of ash which will reflect some of the sun. It's cheap, it's 100% doable, it has immediate effect, and it has been proven to work. It's pretty much only waiting now who will actually be desperate enough to do it first.
I suggested this on another forum a couple years ago, and people who know more than I do pointed out that the CO2 is also acidifying the oceans, so this is at best a stopgap measure. If we destroy the balance of life in the oceans, we still go kaput.
The people discussing the Matrix and Neuromancer would probably enjoy John Wright's Golden Age books: (
http://www.amazon.com/Golden-Age-Book/dp/0812579844/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204064359&sr=1-8)
Oh, and the Doomsday Vault is definitely a good thing; but we need to include animal species too. Particularly tigers, because tigers are cool--just ask Hobbes.
Koki on 27/2/2008 at 06:21
Quote Posted by Jennie&Tim
I suggested this on another forum a couple years ago, and people who know more than I do pointed out that the CO2 is also acidifying the oceans, so this is at best a stopgap measure. If we destroy the balance of life in the oceans, we still go kaput.
Well it's not like I thought it up. There was a vid I saw about global warming on a scientific panel and that's what the dude said. I wish I could find that site again, it was full of awesome scientific vids.
Ko0K on 27/2/2008 at 08:44
Quote Posted by BR796164
But then who will maintain the physical cybernetic infrastructure and provide energy supply for it if all people go VR, huh?
Seems pretty obvious to me that one form of physical manifestation or another would be required to perform such tasks. I didn't say software can't occupy physical "bodies."
Rogue Keeper on 27/2/2008 at 09:00
It would be easier if the elite formed a technocratic tyranny and used low classes unworthy of beind digitalized, for such maintenance tasks. Their obedience would be secured by mind control. Use advanced robotic AI to do the maintenance and you're asking for Rise of the Machines... Why would advanced conscious AI need human constructs anyway?
One way or the other it sounds like bullshit. Rich and variable human spirit would degenerate in digital reality, it would "normalize" into something very flat and fake.
frozenman on 27/2/2008 at 18:49
I have an idea:
You guys maybe saw that New Scientist/whatever article about a year or so back where some evolutionary biologist predicted that in the future humans will split into two subspecies- one being a tall, hyper-intelligent angel, and the other a little dwarf-servo-goblin?
We can get them to maintain our hardware as we float about for eons. Also, we could probably engineer them to eat CO2 and pollution and excrete super-cooled water onto the mainframes of our vessel-computers.
Fuck I'm convinced those guys will save the world.
Thirith on 27/2/2008 at 20:01
Quote Posted by frozenman
You guys maybe saw that New Scientist/whatever article about a year or so back where some evolutionary biologist predicted that in the future humans will split into two subspecies- one being a tall, hyper-intelligent angel, and the other a little dwarf-servo-goblin?
And lo! they shall be called Eloi and Morlocks.
