In 1971 George M. Martin, a biogerontoligist at the University of Washington, published biomedical literature postulating the theory that our mind, containing all of our lifes thoughts, memories, knowledge, experiences, likes and dislikes, and political persuasions would someday be copied, stored and transferred to other substrates. He also indicated that our lifetime memories could be digitally stored or transferred to another brain. In other words, our mind would no longer be confined to our physical body and using another vehicle such as intelligent computerized machines to carry the memory and history of our past, we could all live forever.

Googles director of engineering, Ray Kurzweil, predicted we will have the capabilities of uploading all the components of our brain to a computer by 2045. Maybe cryonics isnt such a far fetched idea after all. At least they preserved Einsteins brain.

Imagine what he could do with computers, calculators and telescopes available in the 21st century.

It is all well and good that we can live forever. Or is it? Will the process be controlled by government, and if so, which government agency in what nations of the world? And, who determines which memories will be imprinted on our computer chip of life? Who is going to edit or sterilize my history of life for their own personal or political purpose? And to the larger ethical and political question, what standard or criteria will be used to determine who qualifies for the monopolized mobilization of mechanical humans?

In this new world of a cloned civilization, will the wealthy control the process of uploading the mind to gain power to control and enslave the rest of us? And, since, the shift of the human spirit will be aimed toward corporate technology, what happens to the meaning of ethical symbols such as; the rod of Asclepius, caduceus or even the crucifix?

In the new environment of edited artificial intelligence, we also have to ask: how would the memories of Hitler, living forever in a bionic and indestructible body affect the rest of the world? Would the faith of the Dali Lama and principles of the old and New Testament unite the Arabs, Jews, Muslims and even the atheist in joint effort to conquer the evil of dictators, fascist and the Republican Guard? Will the end of the world as we know it be determined under the evil sign of Hitlers Swastika, which ironically means for the good, or the symbolic sign of the bloodshed experienced under the Popes and their sign of the cross of unification of all faiths? Either way, mankind as we know it loses.

Obviously, the terms consciousness, life, death and mortality will have a different meaning in the future when they upload our minds. Combined with the surroundings of artificial intelligence and our own immortality, humans will finally have the same capacity to travel and colonize the universe as our ancient ancestors had when they found this planet and left us here to enjoy the garden of life before we all evolved to their status of lifeless mechanical men.

David Farside is a Sparks resident and political activist.

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Upload my mind, live forever