The short answer is no…The slightly longer answer is still quite simple.
I don’t want anyone poking around the hard drive that is my mind
I am a firm believer in Darwinism-natural selection, survival of the fittest, and all that jazz. Therefore, the idea of someone being able to keep the priceless alleyways of my mind on a $1300 laptop is insulting. Flattering, but insulting.
I want to be remembered when I am no longer here-not copied and pasted into some AIs code. I wouldn’t to survive any longer than I naturally have been intended to (but that is a much deeper conversation) so, I’ll leave it at not wanting to have all the chambers of mind controlled by someone else. No one else should have that kind of access to anyone’s mind. I don’t even have access to my own mind in that way. Can anyone really access everything in their heads so easily?
I also would not want a terminally ill relative to be uploaded. Same reasons so I’ll save you the drama of reiterating.
There are a multitude of ethical and personal issues with being able to lengthen a life span or upload a life. Let’s begin:
- People should leave legacies and research and notes and proof of a great life-and then leave.
- The extend-a-life program is unethical because someone can use their ideas, or manipulate their memories to hurt people.
- Imagine the kinds of people’s minds who would be uploaded. Would they want to keep the mind of a dictator? A murderer? Who would be allowed to use this technology?
- How much would this cost? Who can afford it? Will it be available to everyone?
In the book The Six, the children who are terminally ill are chosen with no actual knowledge or say in the matter. They went from being sick and dying and barely surviving to being a vital part of saving the world. (Plot twist) However, the kids and their families not being all the way informed about the risks and the need makes the situation a lot less easy to stomach.
For these reasons, I think it’s unethical to upload a mind. Whether the reason is to lengthen a life or keep the ideas of a lost loved one or genius, the idea is far fetched for me. People should receive flowers while they can smell them…
Hi Tyler! I really like your blog post. You definitely have an engaging and unique style of writing. Your use of bold and italics is also very strategic and perfectly emphasized your important points.
I cannot say I agree with you on all of your points. To me, we have evolved beyond the Darwin philosophy of “survival of the fittest.” When applied to human beings, this philosophy has been used to justify racism, sexism, and ableism. I do not believe that physically weaker people are less deserving of long and happy lives. Not that this is a concern of mine, but I also believe that in most instances the AI-human hybrids are not capable of reproducing-especially not in the sense of passing down their genes to biological offspring. Thus, the core concern of Darwinism ) passing down only the “fit” genes, may not even be relevant to AI human hybrids.
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Hey Tyler,
Your blog post killed me! Also, I love the first gif; Solange’s “Don’t Touch My Hair” really clued me in on what your stance on the uploading of self would be like before diving into your blog. Although we share similar opinions on the Pioneer Project, I believe I have a little more leeway with the idea. When it comes to a healthy person who has lived out their days, I am against their use of technology as a way to extend their life. But it’s a little more difficult to say no to those who have not lived satisfactorily, who has lost the function of their mind and their limbs and have not been able to live their life to their fullest potential. What if Adam and the kids did not need to save the world from Sigma and they were just given the option to get online for free? Would you think differently about this issue? Maybe you’re closing the door on the Pioneer Project too soon; we cannot deny the advancements and improvements that technology has brought into our lives. So, despite knowing the ethical ramifications and dangers that we might be walking into with the Pioneer Project, it could lead to surprising consequences and change humanity forever. Curiosity killed the cat, but at least it died a satisfying and fulfilling death.
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