Machine Consciousness and Mind Uploading
July 31, 2026 DOI: 10.1201/9781003758389-17 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that mind uploading via whole brain emulation requires physical functionalism and universal computation, and that the 'map, copy, test' approach carries an 'extinction risk' of creating non-conscious replicas, while proposing empirical research to address philosophical and identity paradoxes. |
Abstract
This chapter explores the profound possibility of mind uploading, the theoretical process of transferring human minds from biological brains to digital hardware. It examines the ‘whole brain emulation’ roadmap, which involves scanning the brain&s;s detailed structure and recreating its causal interactions within a computer simulation. The discussion highlights two critical philosophical assumptions required for this technology to succeed: physical functionalism and the universal coverage of computation. Readers will gain an understanding of the technological progress in brain mapping alongside the potential risks of the ‘map, copy, test’ approach. This includes the ‘extinction risk’ of creating functionally identical but non-conscious replicas and philosophical critiques regarding non-computable functions and the ‘step-structure’ of calculations. Finally, the chapter investigates paradoxes of personal identity and the continuity of self while proposing empirical research methods to de-risk the trajectory towards digital immortality.