Would You Upload Your Consciousness to the Cloud?

In my line of interests, futurism has always had a soft place in my heart. I’m eternally curious about what the future holds for all of us. If we’re experiencing only a fraction of technological transcendences, what wonders do we behold a few years or decades from now? I get flashes. Sometimes I dream of places I have never been to. There are, of course, multiple scientific and medical explanations for such a predicament, but bear with me. Given the chance, if you’re given the ability to upload yourself to a computer, would you do it?

Researchers at the Singularity Hub have surmised that such an idea is still stratified definitely in the realms of science fiction. An allusion to the Matrix saga in which the protagonist, Neo, escaped virtual consciousness in exchange for a machine-filled doomsday world engulfed with man-made darkness.

The Second Renaissance has been one of the most fascinating work of science fiction I have encountered thus far. Many of my science fiction ideas stem from this phenomena.

However, there is a gargantuan existential dilemma in this quandary. It is triggered after the decision has been made to upload one’s mind to a machine. People would assume that doing it would preserve their essence instead of breathing away our existence like the cellular being that we are. We would endure diseases and pain. God knows how everybody would want to avoid some of that. Just a few weeks ago my buddy has been ranting about gout here. An intact non-biodegradable container sounds like a Horcrux for some people.

Now remember the dilemma. Here it comes: “If you upload your consciousness to the cloud, would it still be you?” Would it be exactly you who wakes up online? Or would it be a perfect copy of you in every way but is just not you? Would you lead two lives at once in a parallel timeline? Or would your organic consciousness die when you get reborn digitally? This paradox has initiated a debate in past few months. What makes you, well, you? Is it your chemical composition? Is it your subconscious? Is it your soul? If we look at this spiritually, would it compute and add up? Perhaps you have thought of this before but never really decided to look into it more intimately.

To cap things off, I give you a short film from the Singularity Hub entitled The Final Moments of Karl Brant. Should you decide to upload your consciousness to the cloud, do let me know. I would be very interested to hear your take on it. Cheers.