Seite - 170 - in Cyborg Mind - What Brain–Computer and Mind–Cyberspace Interfaces Mean for Cyberneuroethics

170 • Cyborg Mind sensations and intentions? How do these relate to the neuronal network and how can they be successfully replicated?314 Indeed, a full description of the human brain would be required, which must take into account the many different levels of activity. For example, it is possible to imagine a scale where perceptions, memories, meanings, sensations and intentions are found at the top levels of activity and where neuronal maps and circuits comprising col- lections of neurons are found at the lower levels. Within this scale, a level of organisation would also be necessary, consisting of individual neurons and the connections between them.315 Achieving Mind Upload Kurzweil’s belief in transcending biology presents a view of humanity’s essen- tial properties being maintained post-uploading. According to the concept of ‘patternism’, human beings are essentially patterns that can be realised either biologically or electronically.316 Preserving the relevant patterns of the indi- vidual ensures that memories, beliefs and other mental states are transferred from the biological brain to the electronic medium.317 This would also require a computer that is capable of genuine thought to support the uploaded mind.318 If this eventually becomes possible, it has been suggested that uploading could then be similar to undergoing surgery, whereby a person temporarily loses consciousness under general anaesthetic, but then awakens afterwards. In the case of mind uploading, a similar break in conscious experience could occur, whereby the person would subsequently recover his or her existence in virtual reality.319 Kurzweil indicates: My leap of faith on identity is that identity is preserved through continuity of the pattern of information that makes us us. Continuity does allow for continual change so whereas I am somewhat different than I was yesterday, I nonetheless have the same identity. However, the continuity of the pattern that constitutes my identity is not substrate-dependent. Biological substrates are wonderful  – they have gotten us very far  – but we are creating a more capable and durable substrate for very good reasons.320 But how is it actually possible to copy human minds into virtual reality envi- ronments? One answer that Anders Sandberg proposes for nondestructive data acquisition uses the potential of nanotechnology and nanomachines. The brain could then be flooded with these nanomachines, which would, individually, plug into each neuron, allowing them to find out what that neuron is doing. This information would then be fed back through a wire- less or optical network to an external appliance, where the information and This open access edition has been made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license thanks to the support of Knowledge Unlatched. Not for resale.