An Interview with Douglas R. Hofstadter, following ''I am a Strange Loop''

		anonymous writes: How will the transplanted soul evolve If nanobots can map the ''wiring'' of the brain and that map can be executed in hardware that is still not enough. The hardware needs to know how to vary the wiring or the soul becomes static, which is certainly not a human trait. So I don't see it being possible to transplant a soul without understanding at least how the mind evolves.
		[316] Posted on Friday, 13 June 2008 at 15:02 GMT [Reply to this] [Permalink]

		Bob Morlock writes in reply to anonymous: How will the transplanted soul evolve That is a very valid point. The brain constantly creates new connections, that's how we memorize and learn, even without absolutely no input from the outside (as I come up with this sentence, connections in my brain are modified). Without that it would just be a snapshot, a memory box.
		[318] Posted on Friday, 13 June 2008 at 15:57 GMT [Reply to this] [Permalink]

		(anonymous) writes in reply to Bob Morlock: How will the transplanted soul evolve If one is willing to allow that ''nanobots'' might copy the ''wiring'' of our brain, it seems only a little step to extend that wiring to the ''wires'' that connect the brain to the outside world, whether that be through the optic nerve or through the bloodstream. To put it another way, why only simulate the brain? Technology of that level should be able to (indeed [i]might as well[/i] simulate the rest of the body. Human holism is certainly not at risk... at least not until we understand the brain well enough to disentangle it from the body, should we want to.
		[319] Posted on Friday, 13 June 2008 at 17:10 GMT [Reply to this] [Permalink]