Do you think it's possible for humans to becomes robots?

[Supreme Admiral]

Earlier this week on Brink episode on science channel,

This man himself said that in the future that we will be become one with machine and that is, our memories will last for thousand of years. How can you explain this that we will become one with machine? To me, it's scared the holy hell out of me.

It wouldn't be too wise to be one with machine. But is it unavoidable? Is our fate already ties to be one with machine? Just out of curiosity.

 

[Meredith]

I see people that are already so attached to their iPhones that when their iPhone breaks it is like they are having a stroke.

I would say the only barrier for a human to become a robot are two things.

1. The ability to scan brain matter at a precise enough level.

2. Enough understanding of how the brain works to be able to emulate it in a computer.


We seem to be moving towards both of those goals every day now, could be 20 years away, could be 200 years but it seem inevitable.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I wrote a story about this once, an idea I might revisit at some point...

Try looking at the bright side of merging with machines. It's easy to forget just how limited our bodies and senses really are. Imagine being able to "smell dark matter." But seriously, you could have your senses (and consciousness) expanded in ways we can't really comprehend right now. Think you get an interesting experience from mind-altering drugs? Imagine what you could experience with your mind inhabiting a ship the size of a planet, or being inside a global network with no physical limitations.

There are some really interesting possibilities, and the primary hurdle is figuring out how to transfer consciousness from one form to another. Right now, it's bound up inextricably with the physical matter and electrical impulses of your brain. I don't think it's inconceivable that we might one day be able to scan a person's brain and produce a synthetic replica--perhaps just in software form.

 

[TeknoNurd]

I've read we are on schedule for a machine that can contain human conciousness in 2040-45. Before that, we'd have well established implants to help memory/data recall. Imagine having every peice of data relating to your hobby, company, family, etc. as easily as recalling a memory. Once our minds can be contained in a mechanical system, the limits of space exploration suddenly disappear. The concept of a life-time becomes obsolete.

 

[iguana_tonante]

I'm not really worried about that. Our bodies are already organic robots. Our brains are nothing more than organic computers. Switching to silicon (or whatever) shouldn't be too traumatic. It should be done wisely, but I don't think much of it.

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Transhumanism is inevitable if we don't destroy ourselves first.

Augment your brain incrementaly with cybernetic implants until your original wetware is a mere fraction of the aggregated machine space that hosts your consciousness.
Delete the wetware -- are you still you?

When a brain cell dies, are you still you?
When a hundred brain cells die, are you still you?
When your body replaces itself cell by cell, molecule by molecule, atom by atom, over years, are you still you?
Are you the same you as you were when you were a fertilized ovum, a fetus, a new-born child, ten years ago, one year ago?

The concept of "I" (and, indeed, "you") is a meme that is somewhat nebulous under close examination.

 

[USS Triumphant]

So far, the assumption in the thread seems to be that human minds would be data dumped into robot brains. How about this: one day in the near future, we discover that we are capable of building robots with computer brains that learn, grow, and feel. They are started as "babies" and develop much like a biological human - only without the limitations of an organic mind and body.

Would you adopt such a child and raise her as your own? Would you consider her morally equal to other children - an actual person, not property?

And I'll present a bonus strangeness: Suppose we reach a point where a human being can be fully modelled within a computer environment - every atom (or close enough to it). Modelled to the extent that friends and family would not know the difference between talking to the sim and to the "real" person on a screen. Such an existence could be very limited for such a sim - or, with enough computer environment, VERY liberating. A sim could experience weightlessness, or an environment designed for perfect comfort with a variety of activities. They could walk under a virtual ocean, or through virtual space, and have simulated oxygen edited into their lungs, and pressure accounted for immediately around their simulated bodies. They could edit out cancer, or any other malady.

Get enough people simulated in a shared environment, or their own environments and a shared space, and they'll start having kids. Children that exist only as the result of simulated combinations of simulated sex cells, but that are no less complex or, I would argue, human than any of us.

Eventually, large portions of humanity might live in the computers, with only robots (which could be used by "sims" for telepresence in the "real" universe), a smaller portion of humanity that continues to live in the "real" world (although they could also be telepresent in the "sim" multiverse if they wanted), and Amish people living in the "real" universe. Presumably, some of them would have to build and maintain the computers and power sources, but as I already mentioned, robots could be "sim" controlled to do this, and even to build more robots if needed.

Humanity in the machines might get really alien to our current way of thinking - no reason not to have lizard skin, or wings, or who knows what else. No limits.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Better humans will always be produced by unskilled labor.

 

[Deks]

Just how much do we know about the brain exactly?
We know of it's numerous functions, but majority of scientists concur we still have a great deal to learn.
Having said that, isn't it possible we will use technology to help us understand capabilities of our brains and 'transcend' biological limitations that way but not actually become robots or merging with them?

It's one of the remote possibilities I guess.
I don't deny the prospect of transferring your conscience into a computer for example in the future ... however, if that happens, I wonder if we will 'give up' on the biological prospect too soon and just move to a completely technological one.

In essence, we will gain new weaknesses that are more technological in origin for example before we try to overcome biological ones.
And of course, a lot of people prefer the 'easier route'.

Right now we can speculate, and I agree that a type of singularity is a very likely possibility down the line (provided we don't destroy ourselves before getting to that point).
I just wonder on what exactly are our brains capable of doing IF there is any 'potential' we have yet to discover about it.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

This man himself said that in the future that we will be become one with machine and that is, our memories will last for thousand of years. How can you explain this that we will become one with machine? To me, it's scared the holy hell out of me.

Can you explain in what sense you find that idea scary? I don't find it scary at all...

 

[Australis]

The big issue is the transference of consciousness.

There is ZERO point in just making a copy of my mind. Zero.

If this has to happen, it has to be a complete transference of mind into a new body. AND it has to be self-repairing as well.

Some years ago, my research led me to the idea that brain tissue could be grown into denatured coral, a nice sterile environment to expand into, that could later be moved from the wasted remains of a wetware body intyo a more machine environment, and then gradually replaced with electronic compone nts until, as siuggested above, the wetware is entirtely replaced with hardware. To me, the gradual replacement should facilitate the legitimate transference of conciouslness. I've long lost the original research, but the ideas remain./

-- this has been a drunkl post by Australis. Be glad you aren't me.

 

[Alpha_Geek]

Besides, building new humans via unskilled labor is FUN! Well.. at least practicing to build humans through unskilled labor is....

 

[TeknoNurd]

The big issue is the transference of consciousness.

There is ZERO point in just making a copy of my mind. Zero.

If this has to happen, it has to be a complete transference of mind into a new body. AND it has to be self-repairing as well.

You seem to assume that 'conciousness' is something beyond the physical processes of the brain, which there is little good evidence to support. I tend to believe (based on the evidence) that conciousness is part of the processes of the brain.

I don't think we'll be able to duplicate/copy a brain for a very, very long time. I'm not even sure that is a worthwhile goal. I do think we will develop computers/electronics to the point that we will be able to arrive at what the brain does in a purely electronic fashion, which will then be expandable far beyond what a biological brain can achieve.

This, of course, will not happen at once. It will be a transition from pure biological (now), repair with electronics (lead by replacing lost functionality through accident or disease), supplimentation by electronics (to give competitive edge), until eventually the biological component won't be required.

So far, the assumption in the thread seems to be that human minds would be data dumped into robot brains. How about this: one day in the near future, we discover that we are capable of building robots with computer brains that learn, grow, and feel. They are started as "babies" and develop much like a biological human - only without the limitations of an organic mind and body.
...

Good points. If can be thinking/concious electronic beings, life would be effectively eternal. The imperitive to create 'off-spring' would not be as big a deal as it is now, if such a need would be perceived at all. Why not spin off fully functional 'kids'? Why spin them off at all? Eternity is a long time, would you want to clutter it with more and more 'voices' in your head?

Once we become 'virtual', exploration of previously overly dangerous areas are now available. We send probes to Mars, so we could send a virtual conciousness as easily. Time is no longer a constraint, so even interstellar exploration becomes feasible. Even our perception of time would change as the result of greater processing speed and long life.

Individuality as we know it may disappear. There may be all sorts of "subsystems" that we cooperatively use. For example, all knowledge would be available to everyone like recalling a memory. Perhaps 'marriage' becomes a merging of persona, eventually leaving one mega post-human.

 

[Timelord79 (he/him)]

Oh boy. Didn't anybody learn from Doctor Who?

 

[john titor]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

 

[DiSiLLUSiON]

Oh boy. Didn't anybody learn from Doctor Who?

DE-LE-TE
DE-LE-TE

 

[Corwwyn]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

But...no emotions=no conciousness.

 

[Jadzia]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

There is a risk there. You can reason something all you want, but reason is nowhere motive; you have to choose to act. Likewise, you have to choose to reason.

Emotions are strongly involved with our choices, lest you be a zombie, that has no control over your thoughts and actions.

 

[chardman]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

Ah yes, nothing quite like an extremely long and un-enjoyable life.

BTW Corwwyn, I dig your Necron 99/Peace avatar from Wizards.

 

[john titor]

I wouldn't mind becoming like Data, transferring my consciousness into an android body with vastly superior computational powers and no emotions.

There is a risk there. You can reason something all you want, but reason is nowhere motive; you have to choose to act. Likewise, you have to choose to reason.

Emotions are strongly involved with our choices, lest you be a zombie, that has no control over your thoughts and actions.

Would a less emotional person then be less sentient than someone who was histrionic?

Ah yes, nothing quite like an extremely long and un-enjoyable life.

It wouldn't be unenjoyable as there would be no experience of enjoyment to contrast it with.