Our selves post-singularity may well be to us as we are to our ten years of age version. Even now, looking back a few years can feel like having been implanted with the memories of a stranger.
But at least there’s physical continuity, right? Talk about brain uploads, our molecules getting switched out all the time anyways, we seem to care only about the pattern, which is fine. The physical continuity is an illusion, and the perceptual continuity broken up every time you go through a deep sleep cycle. So if we solely value the pattern, should we identify more with our peers in a similar situation than with our future selves? (Taken to the extreme, discounting short term benefits may lead to continually sacrificing in the present so that last present moment we experience—on our deathbed? - is supposed to be healthy bliss?)
Well, hopefully the superintelligence can sort out this mess … deus ex machine indeed.
Very interesting post.
Our selves post-singularity may well be to us as we are to our ten years of age version. Even now, looking back a few years can feel like having been implanted with the memories of a stranger.
But at least there’s physical continuity, right? Talk about brain uploads, our molecules getting switched out all the time anyways, we seem to care only about the pattern, which is fine. The physical continuity is an illusion, and the perceptual continuity broken up every time you go through a deep sleep cycle. So if we solely value the pattern, should we identify more with our peers in a similar situation than with our future selves? (Taken to the extreme, discounting short term benefits may lead to continually sacrificing in the present so that last present moment we experience—on our deathbed? - is supposed to be healthy bliss?)
Well, hopefully the superintelligence can sort out this mess … deus ex machine indeed.