The Ghost in the Shell.

[Individual]

Has anyone seen this animated film or the manga the film was based on? It was just on TV tonight -- I'd heard of it before -- and it was very good.

The Ghost in the Shell is an animated Japanese film and manga based in a futuristic world with highly advanced neurotechnology. It was such a strong influence on The Matrix that some have called it plagiarism.

In the film, a person's consciousness (the information and neural patterns that define them) is referred to as their "ghost" and the body they inhabit is referred to as their "shell", hence the title of the film. The story centers around a cyborg who tries to come to terms with their personal identity, with what it means to be a conscious, sentient being, despite being merely made up of various components, 99% of which are artificial. This cyborg works for a secret intelligence organization in Japan, who is trying to track a terrorist called the Puppetmaster. He is nicknamed the Puppetmaster because of his method of hacking people's minds (their "ghosts") in order to control them, even using one "puppet" to hack another.

Do you believe this kind of technology is possible and, if it is one day possible, would you have reservations about uploading your mind to a new body?

[Ben]

Do you believe this kind of technology is possible

No

would you have reservations about uploading your mind to a new body?

Well, one could argue we do this already when we die and arise again in samsara.
Rather than taking advantage of such 'fantastic' technology to extend my life (if it existed), I would be more inclined to spend my time on my spiritual aspirations.
Metta

Ben

[clw_uk]

Do you believe this kind of technology is possible

Hard to say, depends on how the mind/body problem turns out and the issue of moving V copying. I wouldnt say its a dead no, something that seems impossible has a habit of becoming possible in science

and, if it is one day possible, would you have reservations about uploading your mind to a new body?

I would want it done if it were possible