The Naturalness of Uploading Consciousness: An Exploration
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“Our most significant journey as humans is the evolution of our consciousness. Life is meant to enrich the soul, free the spirit, and illuminate the mind.” — Tom Robbins
Nestled within the dense confines of a nearby national park is a hidden lake that draws me back several times each year. I discovered this tranquil spot through satellite imagery and embarked on a challenging trek that involved a dusty drive up a mountain, a rigorous bike ride, and an arduous hike through thick underbrush, all to escape the relentless grasp of modern life.
Nature takes great care to deter the more curious explorers from reaching this secluded paradise: the path is overgrown, unmarked, and often washed away; a swarm of mosquitoes, deerflies, and other insects relentlessly pursue any living being. The trail seems almost non-existent, weaving erratically through the woods until it becomes so dense that a bike must be left behind or awkwardly maneuvered through thickets of young trees and branches. Yet, upon emerging from the foliage to behold the sparkling water, the effort proves undeniably worthwhile.
“Technology evolves constantly; human nature remains unchanged.” — Evgeny Morozov
As I shed my socks and shoes without a second thought, I became enchanted by the untouched beauty of the pine-fringed lake. There were no docks, cottages, or boats—only the rugged Canadian landscape intertwining water and trees in an exquisite display. The dried trunks of trees hung lazily over the water, and the vibrant greens of the towering canopies mirrored beautifully in the lake below. In that moment, the only sound was the splash as I plunged into the crystalline waters of this newfound sanctuary.
You might wonder why nature is relevant in a discussion about the digitalization of humanity, but it is crucial. We are made from the earth—born from it. Our blood contains iron, like our geosphere. We breathe oxygen, similar to our biosphere. We rise above the ground, just like our atmosphere. The point is clear.
Everything we are composed of, everything we rely on, and everything we transform back into—it's all rooted in our earthly existence. In essence, we are entirely biodegradable, dependent on our environment, and full of bioenergy (yes, that's a real term). But not for long.
It's rare for me to quote scripture, yet here it is:
“By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground, since from it you were taken; for dust you are and to dust you will return.” — Genesis 3:19
As we forge increasingly intimate relationships with machines in countless ways (sometimes, indeed, in the most personal sense), we inch ever closer to what seems to be an inevitable transition from nature to technology. Much like the indifferently received film featuring Johnny Depp, we are embarking on a transcendence unlike any other—striving to free ourselves from the very natural laws that have governed our existence. Death might become a relic of the past, supplanted by the possibility of eternal consciousness stored in a digital realm. The physical body may soon be seen as merely a burden, an anchor tethering us to a primitive existence and the corporeal world we inhabit.
Opinions vary widely on when this reality will manifest. Many are aware of Nectome, a startup that made headlines in 2018 with its audacious claim to preserve clients' brain tissue posthumously, aiming to one day upload their consciousness to a computer. While this prospect excites many, it doesn't necessarily expedite progress—it merely fuels curiosity.
In terms of actual practicality, we’re not on the verge of this happening tomorrow. However, we might not be as far off as we think. For true emulation of the human brain to occur, neural chips must match the number of synaptic updates our brains achieve. As of 1996, this number stood at 1.7 billion synaptic updates per second—far from the brain's computational power, which is in the hundreds of trillions. Yet, advancements have occurred since then. Anders Sandberg and Nick Bostrom, authors of Whole Brain Emulation: A Roadmap, suggest that if technological trends continue, we might be on the brink of this achievement in the next 30 years.
“A rough conclusion would nevertheless be that if electrophysiological models are enough, full human brain emulations should be possible before mid-century. Animal models of simple mammals would be possible one to two decades before this.”
One thing is certain: the prospect of achieving total brain emulation appears increasingly likely. Assuming we do reach this point, what will it entail?
There are two paths to consider—a philosophical fork in the road. On one hand, we may replicate brain functions without capturing consciousness itself—the essence often referred to as the soul or spirit. Conversely, if we can upload the entirety of our being—self-awareness, consciousness, imagination—then we will face a host of existential dilemmas. Regardless of the outcome, each scenario brings about a significant upheaval of the status quo and raises numerous questions demanding our scrutiny.
Given the breadth of discussion this topic invites, I plan to delve into more general philosophical inquiries in an upcoming post, focusing this one solely on whether this looming event is, in fact, natural—a question worthy of exploration.
If this post leaves you craving a deeper discussion, then I consider my job done, as Medium may not be the ideal platform for an extensive examination of the subject. And if the nature-themed introduction has felt like a diversion, I urge you to reconsider, for nature is an essential element of this ongoing debate.
With that said, let’s address the question:
Is it unnatural to upload our consciousness into a machine?
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them—that only creates sorrow. Let reality be what it is. Allow things to flow naturally in whatever direction they choose.” — Lao Tzu
At first glance, this commonly posed question may seem absurd; the immediate response is often a definitive yes. Of course it’s unnatural to plug into a machine, to exist in a virtual reality, or to be a brain suspended in a vat. However, the journey that follows this answer reveals a deeper understanding—perhaps this is precisely the destiny humanity has been heading towards since the very first spark of imagination ignited in our cave-dwelling ancestors.
When we reflect on our existence, we consistently defy nature. Beyond exploiting it for our indulgent benefit and bending it to our will, we seem to be on a path leading us toward a form of self-sufficiency (from nature) while still manipulating and consuming natural resources—an ultimately unyielding reality. To genetically engineer offspring, cultivate lab-grown meat, rely on pharmaceuticals instead of natural alternatives, develop new synthetic compounds, 3D-print, and discover innovative energy sources—all these actions defy our growing limitations.
Plans to colonize Mars poetically illustrate this phenomenon—the pursuit of self-sufficiency and sustainability in a place where nature will neither nourish us nor provide shelter. Instead, it poses a threat that we must overcome. On Mars, nature is not our ally; it is an adversary we must tame, as our success relies entirely on our ability to defy death every day.
Thus, while it may be easy to label our digital evolution as unnatural, the more pertinent question revolves around what naturalness signifies, particularly for humanity.
Unnaturalness often implies a loss of essence, a corruption of the inherent state of being, including our very identities. Viewed through this lens, the subject becomes more complex. Did our ancestors forfeit their essence when they transitioned from trees to bipedalism? Perhaps, but it ultimately led to progress. Did hunter-gatherers lose their essence when they began to settle and cultivate agriculture? Possibly, yet this too resulted in positive outcomes. The pattern is unmistakable.
So, while primates swung through the trees, dismissing the one who dared to step onto solid ground, and while we crafted innovative textiles for convenience, we can argue that human ingenuity—though not naturally occurring on our beloved planet—is inherent to our nature. In other words, it is in our nature to conquer the natural world, to dominate, and to thrive through the competitive edge our intellect provides.
While this trend of expanding our capabilities is undeniably progressive, concerns about potential disruptions to the status quo linger. We fear that A.I. may subdue us, worry about self-driving cars jeopardizing our safety, even though we endanger ourselves at significantly higher rates.
Perhaps it's intrinsic to our nature to approach these changes with caution, and this is precisely what brain emulation represents. Amidst the multitude of existential and societal concerns regarding uploading our consciousness or mirroring our cognitive abilities, it's easy to envision widespread unemployment or a host of human rights dilemmas. Should we grant rights to these human-machine hybrids capable of replacing an entire team of NASA scientists? In this sense, it may be worthwhile to distinguish between normality and naturalness, comfort and convenience, as well as apprehension and progress—while ensuring we retain control over technology rather than allowing it to dominate us, as we have historically managed to navigate paradigm shifts.
“Technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master.” — Christian Lous Lange
Moreover, we must consider the human body itself. What would it mean to shed our physical form? Would it lead to immortality, the eradication of pain, or the elimination of inequality rooted in physicality? The prospect of parting from our earthly vessel may be the most profound liberation we could ever experience. Previously, I argued that no event would impact the human epoch more than leaving Earth; I now believe that departing from our physical bodies would be even more transformative—if it proves feasible. Our quest for liberation—from religious constraints, from the shackles of oppression, from social disparities, from the burdens of outdated agriculture, and from the chaos of natural disasters—could reaching beyond the confines of the human body represent the ultimate act of liberation?
And perhaps, the key to safeguarding our planet lies in transitioning from physical existence to a virtual realm, curbing our relentless consumption of resources and halting our destructive expansion. While it may not seem natural to detach from the land, it could be the only means of ensuring collective survival. Imagine how different life could be if humanity abandoned the need for daily commutes or ceased livestock farming—envisioning a truly paperless, plastic-free, and predominantly immaterial existence (aside from the essential infrastructure we would inhabit and the few individuals remaining to maintain or perhaps inadvertently destroy it).
In a sense, we may have been destined to transcend the physical realm since we developed the intangible faculties of creativity. The ability to conceive a blueprint and subsequently construct it implies that we can also envision a cybernetic space and inhabit it.
Perhaps we will not entirely lose our essence; maybe the outcome will not be as beneficial or detrimental as we anticipate. We could redefine what it means to be human by showcasing our imaginative capabilities. Ultimately, it can be summarized as follows: the evolution we undergo is, in fact, natural; in other words, there is nothing unnatural about the development and advancement of our species.
Furthermore, our most significant challenge may not involve the act of transcending the physical world but rather confronting our emotional attachment to it, along with our definitions of naturalness, our steadfast adherence to normalcy, or our overwhelming nostalgia for simpler times.
After battling through swarms of mosquitoes and emerging from the woods, the refreshing lake water that once invigorated me had given way to sweat, and new bug bites formed on top of the old ones, while remnants of cobwebs clung to me in defeat. I disassembled my bike and placed it in the backseat of my car, cranked up the life-saving air conditioning, and left the trailhead behind, grateful that life continues to improve as humanity strives to make it so.
Read On: The Pale Blue Dot
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