Mind uploading and sleep
Discussion
Jabbah said:
If we were able to upload our minds into a computer, would we still need to sleep?
Our AI-self or the remaining meat-self?Meat-sefl would still need to sleep.
AI-self, who knows? I guess it would depend on whether the AI construct also had ways of becoming fatigued or not.
ewenm said:
Our AI-self or the remaining meat-self?
Meat-sefl would still need to sleep.
AI-self, who knows? I guess it would depend on whether the AI construct also had ways of becoming fatigued or not.
I was assuming that meat-self would no longer be functioning after the upload.Meat-sefl would still need to sleep.
AI-self, who knows? I guess it would depend on whether the AI construct also had ways of becoming fatigued or not.
We have various biological processes that create tiredness and a need to sleep which would not necessarily be modelled in a simulation you could upload a mind into, so presumably an uploaded mind could keep running without getting tired. However, if a human tries to stay awake for too long they can start getting hallucinations and other mental problems, so would you need to model a way of letting the mind enter a sleep mode so all the process a sleeping mind would go through can happen?
Could be that's true.
It is theorised that during sleep and dreams our brains are actually organising data and storing it from the day, short to long term memory sort of thing. It could be that for an uploaded mind a process could be created to do this whilst the mind is awake. If sleep was required then you could just run the mind simulation at a much greater speed than real time and compress the sleep into a few seconds.
It is theorised that during sleep and dreams our brains are actually organising data and storing it from the day, short to long term memory sort of thing. It could be that for an uploaded mind a process could be created to do this whilst the mind is awake. If sleep was required then you could just run the mind simulation at a much greater speed than real time and compress the sleep into a few seconds.
ewenm said:
Our AI-self or the remaining meat-self?
AI as I understand it is Artificial Intelligence, ie pertaining to computers/robots not man. In this context you can use proper intelligence (though few humans seem to have much).Sleep is essential for physical reasons; many restorative processes go on then. To use the computer analogy, a reboot.
In what way are you uploading your mind? If you wanted to translate the current memories and structure to a digital storage device then it would no longer be a human mind. For it to behave in the same way, for there to be a personal continuity (for someone to believe they are still themselves) then the architecture would also need to be very similar. It would have to be a an extremely close replica of a human brain, possibly only achieved through organic means. It would in effect be the same as a human brain and would therefore still require sleep, or at the very least the 90-120 minutes a day of REM sleep that a human brain requires for processing sensory input. A human brain never actually has any downtime, it is always on, always working.
There are a hell of a lot of unknowns about sleep, the truth is nobody knows exactly why it is required, but it is not just the brain that requires it, your immune system would pack up in pretty short order too, for instance.
There might even be a way in the near future of chemically inducing REM sleep processes so that someone can have their necessary dreamtime whilst still awake, and therefore require less physical sleep or rest. I'm sure the various military organisations are well into this research (as are possibly Apple etc. for running their iPhone assembling Chinese sweatshops).
There are a hell of a lot of unknowns about sleep, the truth is nobody knows exactly why it is required, but it is not just the brain that requires it, your immune system would pack up in pretty short order too, for instance.
There might even be a way in the near future of chemically inducing REM sleep processes so that someone can have their necessary dreamtime whilst still awake, and therefore require less physical sleep or rest. I'm sure the various military organisations are well into this research (as are possibly Apple etc. for running their iPhone assembling Chinese sweatshops).
It would be interesting if someones mind, knowledge and "self" could be changed to different bodies, not only could people move to different bodies for health issues, but you could almost "rent a body" for certain tasks.
You could have slim looking people doing undercover work, changing to a more muscular build to go behind the front line the week after.
You could have expensively trained pilots who are injured in battle put straight back into the field so there knowledge and training is not lost.
Depending on how it works, it could be almost impossible to keep track of the "minds" and prisons and the justice system would be in chaos.
You could have slim looking people doing undercover work, changing to a more muscular build to go behind the front line the week after.
You could have expensively trained pilots who are injured in battle put straight back into the field so there knowledge and training is not lost.
Depending on how it works, it could be almost impossible to keep track of the "minds" and prisons and the justice system would be in chaos.
Jabbah said:
It is theorised that during sleep and dreams our brains are actually organising data and storing it from the day, short to long term memory sort of thing. It could be that for an uploaded mind a process could be created to do this whilst the mind is awake.
You could use SQL Server table partitioning and not need to sleep. 
To argue and counter the theories mentioned already - as a Med student, I've had brief discussions with Biology tutors about sleep.
The general answer seems to be that the brain requires sleep to re-orgnise and rejuvinate itself...the so-called latest theory being something called 'brain plasticity.'
But although tissue rejuvination and cellular repair to the rest of the body and muscle does happen whilst asleep, it's not essential for that.
So, in (basic) theory - if the brain didn't require sleep, the body would cope without it, so we could technically stay awake constantly using the OP's 'download' method
However - that would be an anathema to me - I love sleep, I do. Night! Zzzzzz...
The general answer seems to be that the brain requires sleep to re-orgnise and rejuvinate itself...the so-called latest theory being something called 'brain plasticity.'
But although tissue rejuvination and cellular repair to the rest of the body and muscle does happen whilst asleep, it's not essential for that.
So, in (basic) theory - if the brain didn't require sleep, the body would cope without it, so we could technically stay awake constantly using the OP's 'download' method
However - that would be an anathema to me - I love sleep, I do. Night! Zzzzzz...
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