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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Turanil" data-source="post: 1852127" data-attributes="member: 9646">[OOC] Mind Emulation in the 22nd century. - It is indeed possible to "copy all the structure" of a human brain, and thus its memories and personality. A mind emulation is in fact a conscious, self-aware, working digital model of the way a particular living being's brain functions. A mind emulation must be then stored into a computer contained within a bioshell or a cybershell, or at least within a computer with some alternate reality simulation. - Producing a mind-emulation is an extremely delicate process, which can be done with more or less fidelity. There are basically three degrees of accuracy: <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Ghost. A living or newly dead patient is placed in nanostasis and its brain perfectly reproduced digitally, but using a process that destroys it (called "brain peeling"). A ghost is a mind emulation mentally indistinguishable from the original person. However, there are risks involved in that once in a while the operation fails and produces a flawed result. In addition, is the mind emulation a true person or just a machine that "thinks" it is? This is the subject of heated debates and endless legal proceedings. In fact, nobody has ever been able to conclude anything with certainty for that matter.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Fragment. It is a failed attempt at creating a ghost, usually because the brain was dead for too long and not kept in nanostasis. A fragment has little or no memory of its past existence, but retains vestiges of its original personality and skills.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Shadow. These are lesser mind-emulations, clearly different from the original person, although much similar. They are "low-sapient AI" that can be run on lesser computers. They can be formed from just scanning a living individual rather than destroying the brain through "brain peeling replication". Note that for Vincent, Mr. Balmers looked like a bioshell animated by a shadow.</li> </ul>-  The problem of the legality of a mind emulation is extremely complex. The laws vary from one nation to another, and then within the same nation it depends on circumstances. There are judicial battles that go for years over the rights of a ghost. Of course, it almost always revolves around monetary considerations. Lets suppose that an agonizing billionaire wants to get turned into a ghost before death. If he just keeps some of his money and then leave for deep space to never be seen again, there probably won't be much problems. Now if he wants to remain an immortal  businessman instead of having his descendants inherit, or worse keep on a position of power and influence, that's another problem entirely! (For more info on this subject, see Transhuman Space p.78-79) [/OOC]</blockquote>

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