Death or Brain Wipe?

Scenario:

In a few years, you are sentenced for a crime you actually did commit. it was brutal, and it pretty much warrents the death penalty.

You are given a choice
You can either die, or you can have your brain completely erased...right down to having to re learn how to walk, eat, etc.

Which do you choose?

Reverse it. If you were the judge of said trial, what would you sentence a "monster" to if it had to be one or the other?


This is an exercise in philosophy of course, but it is relevant considering such tech and abilities are right on the horizon.

I think a brain wipe would be the more moral choice here, especially if nothing of the former person remains, but that also brings up one question....

Are we to reverse the aging of said person?
For 20 more years would be wasted just for you to become integrated into society again.
So on the other hand, would death be a better release then the ridicule you would undoubtedly receive on the outside world?

Just a thought.

Originally posted by Gloomz
I think a brain wipe would be the more moral choice here, especially if nothing of the former person remains, but that also brings up one question....

Are we to reverse the aging of said person?
For 20 more years would be wasted just for you to become integrated into society again.
So on the other hand, would death be a better release then the ridicule you would undoubtedly receive on the outside world?

Just a thought.

Funny you should mention that
This topic came up on a futurist board. The concept is simple, soon enough, we will have "blank bodies"..aka, bodies genetically grown from our own DNA minus a brain. transplant and voila, a form of immortality.
So, the questions start arising, what about things like death penalty, war, etc..

In that discussion, the 20 or so years of education and integration would be negated by extreme longevity

What do you do with second offenders? This would be a real test of Nature vs. Nurture...

reply to post by SaturnFX


Well dying would be the better deal since you'll get a brain wipe and a fresh new body. A brain wipe just sticks you with the same body and you'll always know what you did to deserve the life you are stuck with.

Originally posted by Cuervo
reply to post by SaturnFX

 

Well dying would be the better deal since you'll get a brain wipe and a fresh new body. A brain wipe just sticks you with the same body and you'll always know what you did to deserve the life you are stuck with.

I agree. Who wants to be a reformed convict felon with the brain of an infant? Good luck getting reintegrated with the matrix! Oh yea I need breast milk and a job real quick hook it up!!

Personally I would choose death as opposed to being a drooling bag of flesh that had to relearn everything. As a judge I would just sentence death, it would be cheaper for the taxpayers to just end the life of someone as opposed to having to staff someone 24x7 to babysit said criminal because they don't even have the knowledge to keep themselves alive or to wipe their own a$$.

Originally posted by SaturnFX
You are given a choice
You can either die, or you can have your brain completely erased...right down to having to re learn how to walk, eat, etc.

Which do you choose?

Just depends on how they would erase my brain, if it was having to listen to MSM, Hollywood, politicians and large corporations, just put a bullet in my head.