A bizman plans `digital immortality'!

Well, science fiction has this habit of becoming reality sooner than later. Living forever as an avatar in a computer chip is something beyond comprehension. But not for billionaire Russian businessman Dmitry Itskov.

Doug Bolton
THE INDEPENDENT

Wants To Transfer Conciousness To A Computer & Live In A Humanoid Or As A Hologram

A billionaire Russian businessman is making it his life's goal to stay alive forever by uploading his brain into a computer.

Dmitry Itskov, who made his fortune in internet media, is the founder of the 2045 Initiative, an organization working with a network of scientists to develop `cybernetic immortality' within the next few decades.

Itskov, 35, acknowledges that without such technology , it's likely he could be dead by 2050. However, by perfecting the mapping of the human brain and transferring his consciousness into a computer, he could `live' much longer -either in the computer, transplanted into a humanoid robot, or as a hologram.

Itskov started his foundation in 2011, and is the subject of an upcoming BBC Horizon documentary , The Immortalist. Speaking to the BBC, he said: “Within the next 30 years, I am going to make sure that we can all live forever.I'm 100% confident it will happen." According to the 2045 Initiative's website, they see this reality beginning with the creation of `avatars' by 2020 -robots which can be cont rolled by the mind and send feedback to the user's brain through a brain-computer interface.

"In the following five years, an avatar into which a human brain can be trans planted after death will be created. An avatar with an artificial brain which can host a human personality will be created by 2035, and a hologram-like avatar will follow by 2045 -heralding a new age or humanity".

It's certainly an ambitious goal, and there's debate in the scientific community over whether the intricacies of the human brain can even be replicated in a machine at all. What's more, many of the initiative's ambitions rest on discoveries that humanity is not yet close to making.

However, Itskov has started planning for his digital immortality and sees himself having multiple bodies in different forms, living on Earth and in space while his consciousness moves between them. Itskov is pouring his fortune into the initiative, but only time will tell whether he succeeds or not.

2045.com

Lazar Puhalo, a retired archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America, who has also studied physics and neurobiology, said avatars of some kind would almost certainly be part of our future, a notion that fills him with considerable dread.

“The creators of this ‘something else’ will have their own fears and prejudices,” he says, “and you could produce those robotically. Which could be a real horror for humanity.”

But the moot point is, do people really want to live forever? If yes, would they like to spend that eternity in a “non-biological carrier”? What happens to your brain once it’s uploaded? What about your body? If you could choose when to acquire an avatar body, what’s the ideal age to acquire it?

And finally, can avatars have sex?

epaperbeta.timesofindia.com...

How did I know it would be a Russian?

originally posted by: OrionHunterX
Lazar Puhalo, a retired archbishop of the Orthodox Church in America, who has also studied physics and neurobiology, said avatars of some kind would almost certainly be part of our future, a notion that fills him with considerable dread.

Irony here, considering the concept of religion is suggesting the human body is an avatar to the soul.

“The creators of this ‘something else’ will have their own fears and prejudices,” he says, “and you could produce those robotically. Which could be a real horror for humanity.”

still riding the irony train

But the moot point is, do people really want to live forever?

We cannot live forever. one day even the very atomic structure of the universe will unravel. it wont be for awhile, but it will happen.
What is discussed then is longevity. I would opt in for that, but no doubt if we become a species living millions / billions / etc years, we would need constant "refreshing" of perspective..aka, the concept of reincarnation to re-experience the universe again with new eyes

If yes, would they like to spend that eternity in a “non-biological carrier”?

sure, why not. biology is just a bunch of sand and sludge working together.
I would call this evolution actually

What happens to your brain once it’s uploaded? What about your body?

I would assume to the recycle bin with all that

If you could choose when to acquire an avatar body, what’s the ideal age to acquire it?

this leads into some very interesting questions, such as once this tech is perfected, is a human body start even needed. why does a biological meat brain require consciousness, why not just start with the basics of life as a computer code and let it grow from there
I would say from birth if a brain is required for some reason then.

And finally, can avatars have sex?

if sex is just pleasurable signals to the brain coming from specific organs in the body being stimulated, and you can code your senses like a computer..I would think the sex in VR land would make biological sex seem like a impersonal fist bump by comparison, and engulf the entire "body" verses just a organ.

often when I hear peoples accounts of near death experiences, I wonder if we haven't travelled down this road already and we are actually just in a virtual reality that, upon death, we return to our advanced being selves that got upgraded perhaps millions of years ago. -shrugs-

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Transhumists pipe dreams!

I don't care what he "Wants to do" it is not going to happen any time soon...its not!
I work in IT. I am a computer Scientist have been for 16 years now. This is still so far beyond our capability it will not happen in his lifetime.

And lets pour some logic on this shall we?

You create a device that can emulate a brain.
You create a device that can transmit and store brain signals to the device
Now you have created a copy of yourself you have 2 separate consciousnesses, it is not you...BECAUSE!!!
HOW DO YOU EMPTY THE BRAIN YOU ARE IN??? If I kill the original the copy will exist of course but again it is not you it is a clone...

and again...I do not mean to be condescending but
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Oh and a slight bit off topic but wanted to add...

I have always found Atheists to be just as funny!

Why do I bring that up? Because this is the Atheists wet dream answer to oblivion or the possibility (100% to them) of no afterlife.

It is designed to alleviate the fear of death in those who are either to angry, to ignorant, or too darn smart to be fooled by religion.

This is not news this is a fantasy that has been around far too long and is just as suspect as religions so if you fall under the Atheist belief your actually falling for some very new age snake oil religion cleverly disguised as a futurism immortality...

originally posted by: abeverage
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Transhumists pipe dreams!

Yeah, well. Laugh while you can. I've lived long enough to see technology take some pretty surprising (and disturbing) leaps and bounds.

The worst mistake you can make with people who have seemingly crazy ambitions is to fail to take them seriously. These people are dangerous and what they want is not impossible. The part that makes it dangerous is that although not impossible, it will end up being more of a dystopia than anything else.

Now besides the obvious allure of "immortality" what other advantages would there be to turning human minds into computer codes? Well, authoritarians of all stripes have long dreamed of forcing human beings into inflexible molds.

Can you imagine a world in which you can not only not protest; but also not even know you WANT to? We can (at this point in time) feel sorry for a mind that would be imprisoned in such a cage but if it ever happens, they might be completely incapable of feeling sorry for themselves.

Isn't it a disturbing thought to think that a dystopia might be perceived as a utopia simply because the ability to comprehend what is bad isn't in the code?

The Russian guy again?

He comes up every few years ... he's been in the news on/off for a while now. For some reason no big breakthroughs seem to come form his group (even in their first phase that only has 4 years left).

Doe anyone really think they're going to have a humanoid robot controlled by someone else's brain in 4 years?

Iwish i could convice a billionaire to give me a significant percentage of his cash in the hope he will live for ever.

originally posted by: MystikMushroom

Doe anyone really think they're going to have a humanoid robot controlled by someone else's brain in 4 years?

Actually, this is a very real possibility.
Google Darpa's Brain initiative, interfaces, and Stentrode.

Minimally Invasive “Stentrode” Shows Potential as Neural Interface for Brain
A DARPA-funded research team has created a novel neural-recording device that can be implanted into the brain through blood vessels, reducing the need for invasive surgery and the risks associated with breaching the blood-brain barrier. The technology was developed under DARPA’s Reliable Neural-Interface Technology (RE-NET) program, and offers new potential for safely expanding the use of brain-machine interfaces (BMIs) to treat physical disabilities and neurological disorders.

Further research into progress will shed light on endeavors to increase memory, recall, intelligence, and even affect physical attributes like strength in those with such implants.

originally posted by: BrianFlanders

originally posted by: abeverage
BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

Transhumists pipe dreams!

Yeah, well. Laugh while you can. I've lived long enough to see technology take some pretty surprising (and disturbing) leaps and bounds.

The worst mistake you can make with people who have seemingly crazy ambitions is to fail to take them seriously. These people are dangerous and what they want is not impossible. The part that makes it dangerous is that although not impossible, it will end up being more of a dystopia than anything else.

Now besides the obvious allure of "immortality" what other advantages would there be to turning human minds into computer codes? Well, authoritarians of all stripes have long dreamed of forcing human beings into inflexible molds.

Can you imagine a world in which you can not only not protest; but also not even know you WANT to? We can (at this point in time) feel sorry for a mind that would be imprisoned in such a cage but if it ever happens, they might be completely incapable of feeling sorry for themselves.

Isn't it a disturbing thought to think that a dystopia might be perceived as a utopia simply because the ability to comprehend what is bad isn't in the code?

I also see it from this point of view as well...so even if it was ever possible
COUNT ME OUT!

So what other caveats comes with this modern so called fantastic immortality?

My brain is much less "Hackable" being organic!!! Computers are hacked daily! The data is stolen imagine your "Thoughts" stolen! Or how about erased or changed?

And here is a few other rubs...
Data can and is always deleted,
computers get virus' so much better than what we have today? Achooo...
You would need to be upgraded have you had great experiences with upgrades?
Physical devices still need to be upgraded too! They wont last forever! lol
Data is often corrupted...think Alzheimer's is bad LOL

Transhumanism immortality in digital form is a Nightmare...