BI 103 Randal Koene and Ken Hayworth: The Road to Mind Uploading

Brain Inspired

Randal, Ken, and I discuss a host of topics around the future goal of uploading our minds into non-brain systems, to continue our mental lives and expand our range of experiences. The basic requirement for such a subtrate-independent mind is to implement whole brain emulation. We discuss two basic approaches to whole brain emulation. The "scan and copy" approach proposes we somehow scan the entire structure of our brains (at whatever scale is necessary) and store that scan until some future date when we have figured out how to us that information to build a substrate that can house your mind. The "gradual replacement" approach proposes we slowly replace parts of the brain with functioning alternative machines, eventually replacing the entire brain with non-biological material and yet retaining a functioning mind.

Randal and Ken are neuroscientists who understand the magnitude and challenges of a massive project like mind uploading, who also understand what we can do right now, with current technology, to advance toward that lofty goal, and who are thoughtful about what steps we need to take to enable further advancements.

• Randal A Koene
  • Twitter: @randalkoene
  • Carboncopies Foundation.
  • Randal's website.
• Ken Hayworth
  • Twitter: @KennethHayworth
  • Brain Preservation Foundation.
    • Youtube videos.

Timestamps 0:00 - Intro 6:14 - What Ken wants 11:22 - What Randal wants 22:29 - Brain preservation 27:18 - Aldehyde stabilized cryopreservation 31:51 - Scan and copy vs. gradual replacement 38:25 - Building a roadmap 49:45 - Limits of current experimental paradigms 53:51 - Our evolved brains 1:06:58 - Counterarguments 1:10:31 - Animal models for whole brain emulation 1:15:01 - Understanding vs. emulating brains 1:22:37 - Current challenges