Neuroscience experts: question about the state of the brain

[Neffi]

I just thought of an idea and I'm wondering if it'll be possible. It seems like it would be my understanding of neuroscience is very, very limited. So I'm wondering if anyone with more knowledge can shed some light on the possibility of it.

The idea is brain virtualization. Basically, would it be possible, if you could take a snapshot of the structure of the brain (nerve links, memory formation), the current state of thought, and the current state of chemicals that can interact with the brain, would you be able to create a virtual instance of that person's mind separate from their own consciousness? It's my understanding that it'd be possible, but I'm not certain.

If technology could bring us that it would be amazing. Having a computer, for instance, figure out if you like a food without you yourself having to taste it. The possibilities are mind-blowing.

 

[Ozymandyus]

Someday? Certainly. Now? Not even close.

Also, there are numerous environmental and nutritional factors that affect our brain chemistries, so such a simulation would not be perfect by any means. It would need to take a snapshot AND receive all the input that you do every given day to be perfectly accurate. And be calibrated to your current body chemistry, whether you've exercised recently, whether you've eaten anything etc etc.

Either way the science is still decades out, currently such ideas are mere science fiction and it would never be a truly effective way to store such information... generally people are interested in such tech for the purposes of immortality.

 

[Neffi]

Either way the science is still decades out, currently such ideas are mere science fiction and it would never be a truly effective

I'm sure if you told somebody 30 years ago that we'd be storing entire libraries of music and movies on computers small enough to fit on our lap they'd had a lot harsher things to say than ineffective.

generally people are interested in such tech for the purposes of immortality

You don't have to be a specialist in the field to realize what nonsense this is. Copying your state of consciousness doesn't give you control over the copy. Hence the word "copy". Thinking that we could store your current frame of consciousness is ludicrous if you know enough to realize that it's tied to the brain which generates is.

Granted some day we could probably create an effective enough copy of consciousness to trick your loved ones into thinking you're still alive (how would the copy know any different if it's got your memory?), but you wouldn't carry over.

 

[GoodKat]

I wonder if you could cyberize your brain by first connecting it to processors to replace the different parts, then cutting out the originals.

 

[Ozymandyus]

There's a big difference in calling something ineffective because they can't conceive of it and ineffective because they can conceive of a more effective way to store preferences. Calculating brain chemistry is just not the best way to store such information, it does not translate that well into the ways computers process and store. We could already make a program that stored your preferences and thought patterns pretty well and could know pretty well how you would feel about food you havent tried or movies you haven't seen etc and it would be pretty accurate, much faster, and much cheaper.

Anyway, my main point is we do not understand enough about the brain yet to make such a simulation, it is not at all possible yet.

As for 'you' not carrying over to the new copy... what are 'you' if not your brain chemistry? What is there that would not carry over? In any case, I was not actually suggesting that this is a reasonable use of such technology. I'm just saying that is one way it has traditionally been presented in science fiction, often in connection with a suggestion like GoodKats, where you either simultaneously kill your old self while activating your new self, or just accept that you can be in two places at once.

 

[Neffi]

As for 'you' not carrying over to the new copy... what are 'you' if not your brain chemistry?

Your unique instance of that brain chemistry simulated by thus tied to the physical brain. You could make an exact copy of an image but it doesn't mean you have the original. If you destroy the original, the original is gone. The copy continues to exist independently.

 

[Desty]

I just thought of an idea and I'm wondering if it'll be possible. It seems like it would be my understanding of neuroscience is very, very limited. So I'm wondering if anyone with more knowledge can shed some light on the possibility of it.

The idea is brain virtualization. Basically, would it be possible, if you could take a snapshot of the structure of the brain (nerve links, memory formation), the current state of thought, and the current state of chemicals that can interact with the brain, would you be able to create a virtual instance of that person's mind separate from their own consciousness? It's my understanding that it'd be possible, but I'm not certain.

If technology could bring us that it would be amazing. Having a computer, for instance, figure out if you like a food without you yourself having to taste it. The possibilities are mind-blowing.

I don't think it's not a question for neuroscientists, its a question for physicists, mathematicians and computer scientists. According to your scenario you already have acquired total absolute data, what remains is to produce the software for a physical simulation, the same software you would use to simulate the behavior of any other physical object.

I was starting to write a giant rant about the sheer complexity of the brain, but I gave up. hahaha