TheOtherDave comments on Welcome to Less Wrong! (5th thread, March 2013) - Less Wrong
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I'm also asking, should we care?
More generally, I'm asking what is it about real humans we should prefer to preserve, given the choice? What should we be willing to discard, given a reason?
Fair enough. I've already agreed that this is true for the definitions you've chosen, so if that's really all you're talking about, then I guess there's nothing more to say. As I said before, I don't think those are useful definitions, and I don't use them myself.
Source code? Maybe not; it depends on whether that code is ever compiled.
Object code? Yes, it makes a huge difference.
Some things get destroyed. Other things survive. Ultimately, the question in this scenario is how much do I value what we've lost, and how much do I value what we've gained?
My answer depends on the specifics of the simulation, and is based on what I value about humanity.
The thing is, I could ask precisely the same question about aging from 18 to 80. Some things are lost, other things are not. Does my 18-year-old self get destroyed in the process, or does it just transform into an 80-year-old? My answer depends on the specifics of the aging, and is based on what I value about my 18-year-old self.
We face these questions every day; they aren't some weird science-fiction consideration. And for the most part, we accept that as long as certain key attributes are preserved, we continue to exist.
I agree with your overall assessment. However, to me if any part of humanity is lost, it is already an unacceptable loss.
OK. Thanks for clarifying your position.