The transfer of consciousness from biological to digital media is (so far) a speculative process by which a digital computer copies either all brain circuits and the results of their interaction, or only the latter. The computer then runs a simulation of information processing in the brain so that it reacts in much the same way as the original brain and feels conscious.[1][2][3]

For years, this has been the goal of research that has followed the indirect path of mapping and modeling animal brains. This research has led to indirect discoveries used in the development of faster supercomputers, virtual reality, brain-computer interfaces, connectomics and information extraction from the dynamically functioning brain.[4]

According to proponents of these ideas, the most prominent and prominent of whom is Tesla CEO Elon Musk, many of the tools and ideas needed to achieve digital download of consciousness already exist or are currently under active development. Even if the end result is highly speculative at this point, it somehow hovers in the “realm of engineering possibility.”

Technically speaking, the transfer of consciousness can be accomplished by one of the following two methods: copy and download or copy and delete by gradually replacing neurons (which can be considered a gradual destructive download) until the original organic brain no longer exists and a brain-mimicking computer program takes control of the body.

In the case of the first method of uploading consciousness, it will be carried out by scanning and displaying important features of the biological brain, and then saving and copying this state of information into a computer system or other computing device. The biological brain may not survive the copying process or may be intentionally destroyed during it in some download variants. A simulated mind can reside in a virtual reality or simulated world supported by an anatomical model of a 3D body. Alternatively, the simulated mind may reside in a computer within (or connected to or remotely controlled by) a robot (not necessarily humanoid) or a biological or cybernetic body.[5]

The transhumanist movement sees “consciousness transfer” as a central core of the movement, an important proposition for life extension or “immortality technology” (known as “digital immortality”), more important and effective in preserving species identity than cryogenics. example. Another purpose of consciousness transfer is to create a permanent backup copy of our “mental file” to enable interstellar space travel and a means for human culture to survive a global catastrophe by creating a functional copy of human society in a computer device, a “logical endpoint”[5] modern fields of computational neuroscience and neuroinformatics, how about brain modeling for medical research purposes.

Among the immediate dangers we foresee are:

• Automatically creating a distinction between biological intelligence, which is considered weak, and digital intelligence, which will have implications for the individuals or organizations that will use these media in the future. A computer intelligence could think much faster than a biological human, even if it were not smarter, in the sense that emotional intelligence would be greatly reduced;
• Complete rejection of the electromagnetic support of consciousness, the heart, which, as recently scientifically proven, has its own neurons, albeit in an infinitesimal amount compared to the brain;
• Denying participation in the formation of human consciousness of other organs in the body that can completely change the outcome of processes in the biological interface compared to a digital copy, for example, the impulse of the amygdala, in the case of “hit or run”. “situations;
• The sharp decline of the traditional concept of a person, which, more than ever, needs a legal definition, like any other concept of legal significance;
• Creating endless problems with the concepts of death and succession, since there will be immortal people, or at least the legal equivalent.

Does this sound like a science fiction scenario? We’ll see, but it can become a reality in the coming years!

Footnotes:

[1] Bamford, Sim (2012). “Fundamentals of approaches to the transfer of the substrate of consciousness” (PDF). International Journal of Machine Consciousness. 04 (01): 23–34. two:10.1142/s1793843012400021. ISSN1793-8430.

[2] ^Herzel, BEN; Ikle, Matvii (2012). “Introduction”. International Journal of Machine Consciousness. 04: 1–3. two:10.1142/S1793843012020015.

[3] ^“Merging Minds: Group Mind Scenarios Related to Brain Uploading” (PDF).

[4] ^Kay KN, Naselaris T, Prenger RJ, Gallant JL (March 2008). “Identification of natural images by human brain activity”. nature 452 (7185): 352–5. Bibcode:2008 Natur.452..352K. two:10.1038/nature06713. PMC3556484. PMID18322462.

[5] ^ Sandberg, Anders; Bostrom, Nick (2008). Whole-brain emulation: a road map (PDF). Technical report No. 2008-3. Institute for the Future of Humanity, University of Oxford, 5 April 2009.

The article is signed by Veronika Dobozi ([email protected]), partner of STOICA & Asociatii.