disadvantages of uploading

Thu, 12 Jun 1997 16:54:42 -0400 (EDT)

My original post was

> If I wanted to simulate myself, how much of me would I need to simulate?
Just the
> brain patterns? or would I have to simulate everything? Surely if I
> something in every possible detail, the simulation would be larger and
slower than
> the original. Would my uploaded self be free from the effects of time, or
> information have to represented by something physical? (and could we
represent it
> by something more efficient than the original?)

> All information describes something physical, therefore the physical object
takes > less space than the description (when the description is of
*everything* concerning > the physical object, and the information has to be
represented by something
> physical). Existing as pure information would be less efficient than
existing as the
> thing we create information about.

Everyone seems to know why uploading would be an advantage (the usual
uploading memories, eternal life, etc.) But my original question was this:-

To simulate physical object (which we all are) in all detail (all detail to
our knowlege) would take more physical space than the original object. For
instance, say I wanted to simulate a single atom, and I wanted to simulate
this on a nano-computer. To simulate that atom, would infact take more atoms
(for storage, processing, ect.) than the atom I am simulating. The
information will always require more physical space than the actual object
the information is about. Obviously a image of a house takes less space (in
the form of a storage medium) than the house itself, but that is only a
image, the simulate an actual house, would mean to simulate everything at a
nanoscopic level.

We may well be able to simulate the 'functions' of a brain, but would this be
a brain? Just because we've made rules to make it look like a brain, doesn't
mean it *is* a brain. I believe that in-order to simulate a brain you would
have to simulate every detail, thus offering no advantages over the original
brain (infact the new brain would be at a disadvantage).

However, seeing what it's like to become a different species or downloading
knowlege directly into your brain could still be just as possible in the real
world. The universe is the ultimate computer, any computer that exists
inside of it is inferior.