New IBM Transistors hit 100GHz, Silicon valley to become Graphene valley? Options

[Alias]

How does it lose free will exactly?
All you lose is mortality

In the context of this thread, there are multiple types of existence:

Organic human:
Consciousness embedded into a human body
100% organic
Full complete control over self's organic body (i.e. walking down the street can only be done if you tell your body to do so)
Control over self's digital form (i.e. our accounts on this forum)
Control over non-self mechanics (i.e. crane operator)
Variable control over non-self digital bodies depending on situation (i.e. if you really were a 'consciousness' embedded in a computer, I could merely pull the plug to your power or give you a virus)
Requires other natural living beings for food (the only non-organic thing we eat is salt)
Mortal, as all organic matter decomposes after time

Digital human:
Consciousness embedded into technology
100% digital
Very limited control over digital self (i.e. cannot control what somebody is going to do in the physical realm to the digital realm such as the power pulling analogy)
Requires large amounts of technology infrastructure (without power or a digital realm to operate, your body is 'dead')
Extremely limited control over beings in the physical realm (you as a computer cannot tell a physical human what to do without mutual consent, organic humans can operate by force)
Loss of free will as your consciousness can easily be controlled from outside the digital realm, computers do exactly what they are told, human error causes computer error (i.e. a non-sentient digital being will be a perfect operator of the parameters given to it, a sentient digital being is still vulnerable to changes in programming)
Immortal, in a perfect world. Possibility for data corruption, viruses, an eternal state without power (aka death) and also reprogramming.

Mechanical human:
Consciousness embedded into technology, ALONG with a mechanical body
Part digital part mechanical
Limited control over digital self (can actually protect oneself from threats from the physical world, but is still extremely vulnerable to things that only affect mechanical or digital beings, power loss/EMP for example)
Limited control over mechanical self (can only operate the mechanical body to the specifications given by the manufacturer, i.e. possibility for manufacturer to implement an 'override' system where the mechanical side of the body is disconnected from the digital side)
Requires large amount of technology infrastructure to operate in both realms
Digital body immortal, mechanical body immortal. Possibility for data corruption, viruses, power death and also reprogramming.

Cyborg:
Consciousness embedded into organic matter, controlling a body that could be either 90% organic or 90% mechanical or somewhere in between.
Part organic part mechanical
Limited control over organic self (can actually protect oneself from threats from the physical world, but is still extremely vulnerable to things that only affect mechanical or digital beings, power loss/EMP for example)
Limited control over mechanical self (can only operate the mechanical body to the specifications given by the manufacturer, i.e. possibility for manufacturer to implement an 'override' system where the organic side of the body is disconnected from the digital side)
Requires enough technology infrastructure to operate the mechanical parts of the body body
Requires enough natural living beings to operate the organic parts of the body
Organic parts of the body mortal, it will always be decaying, even at a slower rate. Mechanical body immortal, but loses control

---

Functionally, the only one with full control of oneself regardless of circumstances is the organic human. Once you start implementing technology you no longer have full control. The technology runs to it's specification and no further. A completely digitised human can be easily manipulated from the outside world. A completely mechanical or semi-mechanical human can only run the mechanical side the way the they set out. If they implement an override you have no way of preventing it happening.

I don't see the point living for longer if all you're going to be is be the puppet of somebody else. That is not living.

This post has been edited by Alias: 11 Feb 2010, 23:30

[beefJeRKy]

A life without emotion wouldn't be enjoyable!

[IonCharge]

Well i plan to live forever: so far so good.
I'd prefer to stay human and live a normal existence, and would only used cloned matter of myself if it was kept in a complete vegetative state

[Shiro]

Organic human:
Consciousness embedded into a human body
100% organic
Full complete control over self's organic body (i.e. walking down the street can only be done if you tell your body to do so)
Control over self's digital form (i.e. our accounts on this forum)
Control over non-self mechanics (i.e. crane operator)
Variable control over non-self digital bodies depending on situation (i.e. if you really were a 'consciousness' embedded in a computer, I could merely pull the plug to your power or give you a virus)
Requires other natural living beings for food (the only non-organic thing we eat is salt)
Mortal, as all organic matter decomposes after time

Sorry to rip your post apart, but this part of it is the flawed one. Humans NEVER have full control.

[beefJeRKy]

Your consciousness may not have full control but technically your whole does. Reflexes and other uncontrollable actions are still under human control.

[Shiro]

Nope, the point of a reflex is it is not under your direct control. Once you developed it, your body does it no matter what your brain says (except you cannot do it because of physical reasons). One such reflex is your eyes adjusting to light intensity, you do it automatically without needing your active self-awareness do it. I know it is pointless to state this inlight of the wohle debatte, but people should accept they are never in full control.

[Alias]

With reflexes, it's still your own body telling your own body what to do. Even though you wouldn't be in full control, there are no external entities involved in a reflex.

[Shiro]

With reflexes, it's still your own body telling your own body what to do. Even though you wouldn't be in full control, there are no external entities involved in a reflex.

Neither is it your mind. But as I already stated above, a discussion like this is nitpicky and pointless.
Btw price question: are people with artificial hearts cyborgs?