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Domain: minduploading.org
Stories and comments across the archive that link to minduploading.org.
Comments · 10
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No sub-atomic computing anytime soonThe problem I have with this discussion is that it involves computing at the sub-atomic level. We are getting better at this kind of thing -- for example measuring the spin state of a single atom (Nanodot discussion is here). But because we have lots of examples of what can be done using atomic-scale engineering (Nature provides many examples of this), and we have no examples of sub-atomic scale engineering, I deeply doubt we will have robust computers operating at sub-atomic size scales anytime soon.
It is worth noting that Lloyd's thought experiments in these areas were preceded by similar speculations over 4 years ago in Anders Sandberg's paper The Physics of Information Processing Superobjects: Daily Life Among the Jupiter Brains. Lloyd has extended them a bit by bringing Black Holes into the picture.
Now, what we will be able to engineer in this century, using diamondoid molecular nanotechnology, is solar system sized nested layer Dyson shell supercomputers. This is a unique architecture that I have named a Matrioshka Brain. It will allow us to most efficiently use the entire power output of the sun and compute somewhere in the range of 10^42 to 10^52 ops per second.
Interestingly enough, Michael Franks has a paper "Reversibility in optimally scalable computer architectures" which postulates a solar system sized reversible architecture that would out-compute any non-reversible architecture. This too would be using atomic-scale engineering. Unfortunately it requires the power output of an A or B class star (~50,000 suns) and requires an amount of silicon equal to the mass of Saturn (our solar system doesn't even come close to having that unless we mine the sun for it). After we have developed machines of these architectures, our development comes to a slow halt unless our ability to do sub-atomic engineering can be developed. I'll be quite happy with what we can get out of atomic-scale engineering -- it supplies enough computronium for roughly a trillion-trillion human minds for those who choose to upload.
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People need not DIE!
It is most unfortunate that yet another individual wasn't prepared for a premature death. Someone with this his education and technical awareness should certainly have been signed up for cryonics. For readers who want to call that crazy, don't hit the submit key until you have read the the detailed commentary by Ralph Merkle on how molecular nanotechnology may be used to repair the damage caused by freezing. Be informed and be prepared or be dead. Its pretty simple logic. It is very sad that Douglas Adams wasn't informed enough and smart enough to follow this path. Until Mind Uploading becomes feasible, cryonics is the only viable option we have available defeating death.
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Re:Talking heads
I know some of those people planning to freeze their heads when they die, and they do have some reasons-- by isolating the head, the freezing process can be conducted more carefully with less body mass to mess with in the limited timeframe before the body decays too much after death. And they expect that the level of nanotechnology neccessary for the cell-repair functions needed for proper 'reanimation' will also be able to either create a new body for them or 'upload' their consciousness into a non-biological state. For further information on cryonics, you can visit Alcor Life Extension Foundation's site (they do head-freezes) or the Cryonics Institute (they only do whole bodies).
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Re:Talking heads
I know some of those people planning to freeze their heads when they die, and they do have some reasons-- by isolating the head, the freezing process can be conducted more carefully with less body mass to mess with in the limited timeframe before the body decays too much after death. And they expect that the level of nanotechnology neccessary for the cell-repair functions needed for proper 'reanimation' will also be able to either create a new body for them or 'upload' their consciousness into a non-biological state. For further information on cryonics, you can visit Alcor Life Extension Foundation's site (they do head-freezes) or the Cryonics Institute (they only do whole bodies).
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Being DevelopedRay Kurzweil didn't invent this -
That needed clearing up first of all.This idea has been around for a while now
and is actively being worked on.For instance, Joe Strout's Mind Uploading
Home Page has been around for over 5 years
now, and has recently been refreshed as:Go take a look!
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Merging Minds with Robots - BEING WORKED ONRay Kurzweil didn't invent this -
That needed clearing up first of all.This idea has been around for a while now
and is actively being worked on.For instance, Joe Strout's Mind Uploading
Home Page has been around for over 5 years
now, and has recently been refreshed as:Go take a look!
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Incorrect - Arthur C. Clarke was much earlier!While Neuromancer certainly did put forward the topic in recent times, Arthur C. Clarke explored the entire concept of storage of minds in computers and the generation of living environments for the humans by that computer in his classic: The City and the Stars, which I believe is from the 50's.
Currently mind uploading is making its way out of the fringe of respectable science into the minds of everyday scientists.
And yes, there is a web site!
You can find further references there, older information and the newest developments (see News), as well as a mailing list intended for the Mind Uploading Research Group (a loose-nit network of researchers sharing information toward a common goal).
Feel free to drop in. You too Kurzweil!
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Incorrect - Arthur C. Clarke was much earlier!While Neuromancer certainly did put forward the topic in recent times, Arthur C. Clarke explored the entire concept of storage of minds in computers and the generation of living environments for the humans by that computer in his classic: The City and the Stars, which I believe is from the 50's.
Currently mind uploading is making its way out of the fringe of respectable science into the minds of everyday scientists.
And yes, there is a web site!
You can find further references there, older information and the newest developments (see News), as well as a mailing list intended for the Mind Uploading Research Group (a loose-nit network of researchers sharing information toward a common goal).
Feel free to drop in. You too Kurzweil!
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Re:coredump --> minduploading.org!Nice to see Kurzweil at it... nevertheless, he was by far not the first to come up with this.
Check out much older information on mind uploading (also called "Whole Brain Emulation") at Joe Strout's site The Mind Uploading HomePage.
Or treat yourself to the much more recent main site of all things mind uploading:
You can even join a mailing list intended for the exchange of information relevant to research into mind uploading:
MURG (the Mind Uploading Research Group)
Serious participation in the discussions and sharing of information is very welcome!
See you there!
Moderators anyone?
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Re:coredump --> minduploading.org!Nice to see Kurzweil at it... nevertheless, he was by far not the first to come up with this.
Check out much older information on mind uploading (also called "Whole Brain Emulation") at Joe Strout's site The Mind Uploading HomePage.
Or treat yourself to the much more recent main site of all things mind uploading:
You can even join a mailing list intended for the exchange of information relevant to research into mind uploading:
MURG (the Mind Uploading Research Group)
Serious participation in the discussions and sharing of information is very welcome!
See you there!
Moderators anyone?