Thread: Digital Immortality

Whenever I read about the possibility of copying someone's mind as a digital incarnation, it is hailed as an achievement of immortality, but no one mentions that the person who was copied would still die as they normally would have -- the digital copy would be the one who was immortal. The advantage is that everyone else will have a replacement for the person once that happens. From the perspective of the person who was copied, nothing is different. Immortality is not achieved for that individual; it is just an illusion of immortality for the observer. So when I read about these possible breakthroughs, how is this relevant to me? I, and every other original biological human, would die just as always. Is it supposed to be extremely satisfying to me that an iteration of my personality will continue to affect the world after I am gone? This element seems to be overlooked to a baffling extent, so I assume there is something about the process that is not being fully explained. Could someone help me out?

Well, look at what we have now: your born, you live, you die. While digital conciousness cloning would not necessarily benefit us directly, at least the next generation of "Human beings" (if you could call them that) would be immortal. It is better than simply continuing the normal life cycle that biological organisms have always had. Besides, there are many other methods of achieving immortality which could be achieved within this century.

Originally Posted by Waveman28

Well, look at what we have now: your born, you live, you die. While digital conciousness cloning would not necessarily benefit us directly, at least the next generation of "Human beings" (if you could call them that) would be immortal. It is better than simply continuing the normal life cycle that biological organisms have always had.

It would certainly be fantastic for society, but it doesn't much help me.