The future: Mind-uploading and virtual immortality

[akkxn]

Very interesting read found here: http://www.futuretimeline.net/22ndce...#minduploading


2120 (Prediction)

"Mind uploading enters mainstream society"

Adequate hardware to support human-level intelligence was available as far back as the 2020s, thanks to the exponential progress of Moore's Law.* This made it possible to form simulations of neural processes.

However, the underlying software foundation required for mind uploading proved to be a vastly greater challenge. Full transfer of human consciousness into artificial substrates posed enormous technical difficulties, in addition to raising ethical and philosophical issues.

The sheer complexity of the brain, and its inherent fragility - along with the many legislative barriers that stood in the way - meant that it was nearly a century before such technology reached the mainstream.

Some breakthroughs occurred in the latter decades of the 21st century, with partial transfer of memories and thought patterns, allowing some limited experience of the mind uploading process. However, it was only through the emergence of picotechnology and strong AI that sufficiently detailed scanning methods became available. This new generation of machines, being orders of magnitude faster and more robust, finally bridged the gap between organic human brains and their synthetic equivalents.

Initially tested on monkeys, the procedure was eventually offered to certain marginalised people including death row inmates and terminally ill patients. Once it could be demonstrated as being safe and reversible, the project garnered a steady stream of free and healthy volunteers, tempted by this new form of computerised immortality.

Years of red tape and legislation followed, including some of the strictest regulations ever enacted into law. Religious and conservative groups voiced their objections to what they saw as a fundamental violation of God's will. At times, this threatened to postpone the technology indefinitely. Eventually though, like so many other breakthroughs in science, the zeitgeist moved on. The level of demand for mind uploading proved to be enormous, and the treatment was made commercially available in the 2120s.

Today, citizens have access to special clinics in which their biological brains can be literally discarded in favour of artificial ones. Rather than simply "duplicating" a mind, the machine physically shifts the consciousness, like a sponge soaking up water. The brain is gradually replaced - piece by piece - so the original personality remains intact during the transition. This vital aspect of the procedure assuages the fear which many have of losing their identity.

For the wealthiest individuals, entire new bodies can be grown, into which the synthetic brains can be transplanted. These bodies may themselves be artificial, with options for partially cyborg or fully robotic replacements. Externally, they are often indistinguishable from real human bodies, but include many hi-tech add-ons and internal features boosting physical and mental abilities.

Not everyone is opting for these types of treatments, however. A significant percentage view them with extreme suspicion, as though somehow immoral and dehumanising. With each passing year, society is becoming increasingly fractured, with an ever-widening divide between those who seek to enhance themselves, and those who prefer to eschew such technology.

[HereToLul]

Wow, good read. I hope that I live long enough to see life-lengthening technology. I doubt it will have immortal capabilities, but another couple hundred years wouldn't hurt (srs).

The part that I think seems the most outlandish is the transferring of the soul (or identity, whatever you want to call it) into another "shell". I think we are far from understanding the biological/neurological basis for our consciousness. mind=blown

[Muckle_Ewe]

Wow, good read. I hope that I live long enough to see life-lengthening technology. I doubt it will have immortal capabilities, but another couple hundred years wouldn't hurt (srs).

The part that I think seems the most outlandish is the transferring of the soul (or identity, whatever you want to call it) into another "shell". I think we are far from understanding the biological/neurological basis for our consciousness. mind=blown

Far from it yes.

But at the rate technology is progressing. 110 years doesn't sound too far fetched.

I love that future time line site. It actually changed my life in that I realized I wanted to be part of upcoming technology rather than go into finance.

[dave.mc]

That site is a very entertaining read although I do find the end of the universe bit pretty depressing lol. Be interesting to monitor that site over the next few years and see how accurate they are with some of the predicitons

[Otaman]

great read, OP repped on recharge

[HereToLul]

That site is a very entertaining read although I do find the end of the universe bit pretty depressing lol. Be interesting to monitor that site over the next few years and see how accurate they are with some of the predicitons

I don't think the universe will end. Humanity, however, is another story.

[akkxn]

bumped for morning crew

[TheOneAboveAll]

Meh I'm a proponent of mind uploading/virtual immortality. It leads to many philosophical identity crisis which eliminates the whole purpose of being immortal. I'm more into the cyborg/nanobots approach.

[beerbaron105]

Essentially we would live in the Matrix, except with the ability to customize our lives, at it's full potential, living within this cyber-world, we would be able to customize our lives, be invincible, wealthy beyond all imagine, superpowers, travel to any known point in the cyber-universe instantaneously. I am sure the government would try to control and infringe strict rules/controls, however I am sure it could be "cracked" just like current technology can be "jail-broken"

[reyalp]

We still need a good BCI before this happens.

I'm excited about plain ol good BCI

[UniversityMisc]

If you can make it to ~2025, then there is a strong chance you will never have to die.

Were going to be at the point (since science improves exponentially) that your life expectancy starts increasing faster than you can age.

Things such as stem cell research and the ability to grow complete new organs from your own stem cells will mean your body will 100% accept them and they will work flawlessly, since they are in reality your own organs to begin with.

It's pretty exciting stuff, and that doesn't even get into the discussion of when we make the breakthrough with nanobots and what that will do to our life expectancy.

[beerbaron105]

If you can make it to ~2025, then there is a strong chance you will never have to die.

Were going to be at the point (since science improves exponentially) that your life expentancy starts increasing faster than you can age.

Things such as stem cell research and the ability to grow complete new organs from your own stem cells will mean your body will 100% accept them and they will work flawlessly, since they are in reality your own organs to begin with.

It's pretty exciting stuff, and that dosn't even get into the discussion of when we make the breakthrough with nanobots and what that will do to our life expantacy.

That's why I hate when religious people try to break down scientific advancements like stem cell research, religion should be banned from political office, you do not need to be religious to know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil!

[UniversityMisc]

That's why I hate when religious people try to break down scientific advancements like stem cell research, religion should be banned from political office, you do not need to be religious to know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil!

I have to agree with you.

I have nothing against religious people, but they shouldn't force their beliefs on the masses. If people want to do stem cell research, then that should be up to them, not regulations and bannings and what not because of people's beliefs.

It is sad to say, but religion has held us back hundreds of years in the scientific fields.

[HereToLul]

Meh I'm a proponent of mind uploading/virtual immortality. It leads to many philosophical identity crisis which eliminates the whole purpose of being immortal. I'm more into the cyborg/nanobots approach.

Wouldn't this make you an opponent vs a proponent?

If you can make it to ~2025, then there is a strong chance you will never have to die.

Were going to be at the point (since science improves exponentially) that your life expectancy starts increasing faster than you can age.

Things such as stem cell research and the ability to grow complete new organs from your own stem cells will mean your body will 100% accept them and they will work flawlessly, since they are in reality your own organs to begin with.

It's pretty exciting stuff, and that doesn't even get into the discussion of when we make the breakthrough with nanobots and what that will do to our life expectancy.

Dudeee this excites me more than anything.

[Rockchalk0420]

If you can make it to ~2025, then there is a strong chance you will never have to die.

Were going to be at the point (since science improves exponentially) that your life expectancy starts increasing faster than you can age.

Its called AEV, look it up! (Acturial Escape Velocity) Aging will eventually become a thing of the past. I was watching a show on the discovery channel a while back...In it, they talked about the possibility of living to 1000 years. The aging process is a disease, and it can be reveresed and halted. We are no where near this being reality yet, but we are approaching the path to immortality. With advancements in Nano tech, and Bio tech, its only a matter of time.

And people who are in their 50's and even 60's today, could potentially be some of the first humans to live to 1000.

Things such as stem cell research and the ability to grow complete new organs from your own stem cells will mean your body will 100% accept them and they will work flawlessly, since they are in reality your own organs to begin with.

Even on the rare occasion that your body does not accept the organ, you can continously regrow organs from your own cells, meaning that vital organs will no longer be in short supply.

It's pretty exciting stuff, and that doesn't even get into the discussion of when we make the breakthrough with nanobots and what that will do to our life expectancy.

Humans alive today are truly lucky. I know a lot of people look to the future as some sore of eden, but more then likely everyone posting here today can and will experience the interesting times we have ahead.

**** gets crazy once you really start to think about it. When I turn 80, (barring any major catastrophe) I can expect to live vastly different that 80 year olds of today. By then, 80 may very well be the new 20.

[Rockchalk0420]

That's why I hate when religious people try to break down scientific advancements like stem cell research, religion should be banned from political office, you do not need to be religious to know the difference between right and wrong, good and evil!

Its called seperation between Church and State... To bad they've created a loophole around it.

One thing I will give Obama credit on, is his stem cell research stance.

[UniversityMisc]

Its called AEV, look it up! (Acturial Escape Velocity) Aging will eventually become a thing of the past. I was watching a show on the discovery channel a while back...In it, they talked about the possibility of living to 1000 years. The aging process is a disease, and it can be reveresed and halted. We are no where near this being reality yet, but we are approaching the path to immortality. With advancements in Nano tech, and Bio tech, its only a matter of time.

And people who are in their 50's and even 60's today, could potentially be some of the first humans to live to 1000.

Yeah, I'm actually glad I was born when I was. We are pretty much the perfect age in relation to the way technology is gonna expand.

And I have to agree, that in another 100-200 years or so, immortality could easily be upon us with what the OP posted. It makes sense if you think outside of the box and really start to understand the concepts behind how we would achieve the immortality. I was talking to my buddy about it the other day, and he just said it sounded too far-fetched and sci-fi to every happen. I tried to give him examples with modern day things like how 10 years ago, if I wanted to read a book, i had to go check it out from a library. Now a whole library worth of books can fit on a microsd card as big as a nickle. Not as good of a relation as to becoming immortal, but i was more trying to relate the exponential growth of technology.

Even on the rare occasion that your body does not accept the organ, you can continously regrow organs from your own cells, meaning that vital organs will no longer be in short supply.

Exactly. And once nano technology breaks through, the organs will never have to fail again.

Humans alive today are truly lucky. I know a lot of people look to the future as some sore of eden, but more then likely everyone posting here today can and will experience the interesting times we have ahead.

**** gets crazy once you really start to think about it. When I turn 80, (barring any major catastrophe) I can expect to live vastly different that 80 year olds of today. By then, 80 may very well be the new 20.

In reality, barring any major circumstance outside of my control (car wreck, etc.) I easily expect to never have to die, or at least live much, much, much longer than people do today.

[boast]

yeah, Ghost in the Shell was cool

[CLEAN_SET_OF_10]

this tech could be used for evil as well.

inmates serving a life sentence for crimes might be given an eternal sentence instead, where their conscience is transferred to a "new brain" every X amount of years (the lifespan of one of these pseudo-brains) and they would be trapped inside their own mind for... ever.

further more if they were somehow hooked up to experience torture and rape or whatever their deepest fears were it would truly be an eternity of nightmares..

of course its easy to see how this could be used as a means of immoral torture rather than a means of discipline.

[HereToLul]

this tech could be used for evil as well.

inmates serving a life sentence for crimes might be given an eternal sentence instead, where their conscience is transferred to a "new brain" every X amount of years (the lifespan of one of these pseudo-brains) and they would be trapped inside their own mind for... ever.

further more if they were somehow hooked up to experience torture and rape or whatever their deepest fears were it would truly be an eternity of nightmares..

of course its easy to see how this could be used as a means of immoral torture rather than a means of discipline.

Hmm...this got me thinking...what if we could 'create' heaven and hell on earth? Either eternal pleasure or eternal pain? Who would decide your fate? Would they be considered 'god'?

[Otaman]

wouldn't that lead to endless cloning? Think about it, who knows you best? Who's you best buddy, friend, partner, maybe even lover? The answer is yourself.

People would be uploading their own minds into another android/human/cyborg, thus creating copies of themselves for plenty of reasons - business, friendship, security. That will cross moral, social, ethical etc all kinds of boundaries.

What if a tyrant like Hitler makes 1000s of copies of themselves? It would be nearly impossible to deal with negative implications of such technology.

[findingmyway]

I think our generation is just gonna miss scientists figuring out how to lengthen our lives, like they'll probably come out with some injection which will make every human live to be a couple hundred years old in 2070, and we'll all be dead/very old by then. Being born 50 years from now would have been better, it really sucks hard when you think about it.

[CRyan64]

^ I was just thinking that.

F*ck, if only I was born a few generations later...

[Otaman]

I think our generation is just gonna miss scientists figuring out how to lengthen our lives, like they'll probably come out with some injection which will make every human live to be a couple hundred years old in 2070, and we'll all be dead/very old by then. Being born 50 years from now would have been better, it really sucks hard when you think about it.

no it doesnt brah, I really think we're the last happiest and most comfortable generation that there will be in a while

Look at what the future has to offer:

-Oil shortage (economic crises, wars, conflicts)
-Environmental catastrophies (massive draughts, hurricanes, earthquakes)
-Massive immigration (OP's website predicts 1 in 5 europeans will be Muslim) Whites will be minority
-Terrorist acts (possible nuclear, chemical attacks)
-all kinds of stresses: alienation, social anxiety, loss of identity

I don't want to live for 100-200 years in a shiet future like that. Quality > Quantity. Future generations will be full of envy at how things were before.

[dave.mc]

-Oil shortage (economic crises, wars, conflicts)
-Environmental catastrophies (massive draughts, hurricanes, earthquakes)
-Massive immigration (OP's website predicts 1 in 5 europeans will be Muslim) Whites will be minority
-Terrorist acts (possible nuclear, chemical attacks)
-all kinds of stresses: alienation, social anxiety, loss of identity

despite what the press would have you believe all "civilized" cultures since time began have dealt with the very same social issues. Our solar system is a wealth of resources as well, we just need to be able to find a way to expolit the resources our solar system can offer us.

[boast]

I think our generation is just gonna miss scientists figuring out how to lengthen our lives, like they'll probably come out with some injection which will make every human live to be a couple hundred years old in 2070, and we'll all be dead/very old by then. Being born 50 years from now would have been better, it really sucks hard when you think about it.

There was a documentary posted on the misc which showed how technology advances exponentially, not linearly.

I think by 2030, we will be seeing some crazy stuff (which i hope to be a part of!)

[treborly77]

they already said they can stop aging in like 15 years

[Iron_Prophet]

I think our generation is just gonna miss scientists figuring out how to lengthen our lives, like they'll probably come out with some injection which will make every human live to be a couple hundred years old in 2070, and we'll all be dead/very old by then. Being born 50 years from now would have been better, it really sucks hard when you think about it.

Not true.

There are many advances being worked on as we speak.

They are developing a method of completely removing the chemical in your body that makes you age.

Although that wont stop you from eventually dieing it will extend your life by a hundred and twenty or so years.

They used examples of 100 year old's will be in the gym working out etc still running marathons.

They have already gotten the method to work on mice. Was estimated my 2030 I think was the minimum in which they think it will become mainstream.

And that was only one of the things they are developing.

[Otaman]

Not true.

There are many advances being worked on as we speak.

They are developing a method of completely removing the chemical in your body that makes you age.

Although that wont stop you from eventually dieing it will extend your life by a hundred and twenty or so years.

They used examples of 100 year old's will be in the gym working out etc still running marathons.

They have already gotten the method to work on mice. Was estimated my 2030 I think was the minimum in which they think it will become mainstream.

And that was only one of the things they are developing.

Now, we don't need that do we?

[wingnut4772]

Cool article. Thanks.