Is completely off topic. It’s irrelevant bordering on nihilism. Sure the universe doesn’t care because as far as we know the universe isn’t sentient. so what? That has no bearing on desire for death or the death of others.
If knowing that number 2 is true (rationally or otherwise) were really enough, then no one would cry at funerals. “Oh, they’re also alive we’re just viewing them as dead” people would say. Just because I’m dreaming doesn’t mean I don’t want to have a good dream or have the good dream keep going. It also doesn’t mean I don’t care whether other people are having good dreams or bad ones.
As others mentioned this sounds specific to uploading. Luckily for your argument instant-copy uploading is not the only possible future. I find it more plausible that instead of full-blown uploading we will have cyborg-style enhancements which eventually replace our original biological selves entirely for exactly the reasons he objects to instant copying. There’s the Ship of Theseus paradox to deal with here, but as long as the change is gradual and I feel I am still myself the entire time, there would be no protests.
Again there’s no disagreement here. If we get meat replacements, they could be made one piece at a time with no protest. Our bodies already do this to a large extent during our lives. No one complains when the cut on their hand heals.
Many worlds are nice, except that they are not THIS world.
I’d also throw in Aubrey de Grey’s oft used exercise that’s along the lines of, do you want to live one more day? (A: yes) do you expect to want to live one more day tomorrow? (A: Yes) If that answer is always true, then you want to live forever. If not then at what point would you change your answer to the question?
Is completely off topic. It’s irrelevant bordering on nihilism. Sure the universe doesn’t care because as far as we know the universe isn’t sentient. so what? That has no bearing on desire for death or the death of others.
If knowing that number 2 is true (rationally or otherwise) were really enough, then no one would cry at funerals. “Oh, they’re also alive we’re just viewing them as dead” people would say. Just because I’m dreaming doesn’t mean I don’t want to have a good dream or have the good dream keep going. It also doesn’t mean I don’t care whether other people are having good dreams or bad ones.
As others mentioned this sounds specific to uploading. Luckily for your argument instant-copy uploading is not the only possible future. I find it more plausible that instead of full-blown uploading we will have cyborg-style enhancements which eventually replace our original biological selves entirely for exactly the reasons he objects to instant copying. There’s the Ship of Theseus paradox to deal with here, but as long as the change is gradual and I feel I am still myself the entire time, there would be no protests.
Again there’s no disagreement here. If we get meat replacements, they could be made one piece at a time with no protest. Our bodies already do this to a large extent during our lives. No one complains when the cut on their hand heals.
Many worlds are nice, except that they are not THIS world.
I’d also throw in Aubrey de Grey’s oft used exercise that’s along the lines of, do you want to live one more day? (A: yes) do you expect to want to live one more day tomorrow? (A: Yes) If that answer is always true, then you want to live forever. If not then at what point would you change your answer to the question?