Plasmon comments on New book from leading neuroscientist in support of cryonics and mind uploading - Less Wrong

22 Post author: lukeprog 08 February 2012 09:36PM

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Comment author: Plasmon 09 February 2012 05:50:50PM *  5 points [-]

Philosophers can argue until they're blue in the face, and scientists can uncover all the evidence they want, but they can never completely convince us that the body and the brain are machines. The final proof will come only when engineers manage to construct machines that are just as complex and miraculous.

This statement may be interpreted as

  • We shouldn't update until we see this final proof - bad thinking

  • A large number of people ("us") won't update until they see this final proof - probably a true statement

Comment author: iceman 09 February 2012 09:50:06PM 1 point [-]

My impression was that he was leaning on the first more than the second, but on second thought that may just be me being uncharitable.