Tuesday, May 17, 2016

Cloned


At the heart of much speculative fiction (and fiction in general) is a question. What if? On Tuesdays I like to throw one out there and see what you make of it. Do with it as you please. If a for-instance is not specified, feel free to interpret that instance as you wish. And if you find this becomes a novel-length answer, I'd appreciate a thank you in the acknowledgements ;)

Sue had an interesting comment about last week's what if about the idea that for transporter technology to work, it would have to kill the current you and make an exact copy of you someplace else. She said:
I rather guess it depends on how much you feel you have to lose. If I could pop in one end diseased and unwell and then die and pop out the other end disease free, well that sounds tempting. 
Which got me thinking. That's an interesting point. And that, in turn, led to this week's what if...

What if there was a way to make a more perfect you--a kind of android clone? And you could be uploaded into that body. But the old body would have to die (be killed) first. Would you take the upgrade? (Would it be an upgrade?)

33 comments:

  1. At this point, I'm happy with the body I'm in. Ask me again in about forty years, and I'll see if I change my mind.

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    1. It would depend on being healthy or not, I expect.

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  2. If it was still me with my thoughts and memories I would. Why? Because my whole life I've struggled with back problems. Scoliosis really made a mess out of my body, so it would be nice to have a perfect body where my hips and back are fine. It would be an upgrade for me.

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    1. But would we still be human in an android body? It's something to consider.

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  3. But would the soul really transfer over? I wouldn't take the chance.

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  4. Liz, As a Christian I will get that upgrade when I die. But, from a fiction point of view, I don't think I'd like the idea of being ported into an android body. That means I'm part human - part machine and then Alex raised a very good question about the soul. That's something that can't move from body to body, if so then reincarnation would be possible and as a Christian what's the point in "heaven", if we are meant to live in this life forever as different people or even animals as some believe? Your questions are always intriguing and I love the way your prompts make my mind stir. ;)

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  5. That is a murky question. The implications and possibility of abuse behind it would make and probably have made some interesting stories. It is temping, but I think there are finer details I'd want to know before saying yes. Might be something in there that would be horrible and I wouldn't want.

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    1. There's always the small print. Yes, there could be those sorts of issues. It would depend on who's behind the technology. And we would hope that the procedure would be voluntary...

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  6. Murky question indeed. I guess the core of it, for me, remains whether this 'new' me would really be me—and that leads into the question of what makes me 'me'. No, I'm not religious (or even spiritual), but... given the uniqueness of life's diversity, even within the same genus and species, I'm tempted to say there really is something in the arrangement of our current atoms that, if not absolutely defines our self, at least contributes to it. So... Chances are I'd have to say no. (But I'd be willing to have someone I know, and know well, test-drive it—if they were willing too—and then see whether the new 'them' was really an exact match to the old version :D )

    Very, very cool question.
    Guilie @ Life In Dogs

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    1. That sort of goes back to the videos last week and the two ships analogy. Would you still be you? That's part of the question here.

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  7. Well, since this is never going to really happen, I have to say I would love nothing better than to pop in one side the way I am and pop out the other side much more youthful and skinner! I get to pick I hope!!

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    1. Since I didn't specify, you can interpret as you wish. I would think so, because you would be doing it to improve your body--getting rid of illnesses and such. Why not a bit of "plastic surgery" while you're at it?

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  8. I just had the feeling I would be an Ex Machina which I am not sure I would be happy about. When I think that I would be pain free and not exhausted from the pain(going through a bad bout recently), it appeals to me. I would be tempted because I could do so much more(last Saturday I cleaned the bathroom, and made a roast, salad and a quick dessert and i was in so much pain I was bawling. I couldn't even dust) but I always feel there is a hitch. What if I now can live so much longer but everyone I know gets older and dies? What if I lose my humanity?? I would have to know more before I just jump at it.

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  9. No way! No upgrade for me. I don't take change kindly :)

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    1. OK. Interesting how people are going with this.

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  10. I'd totally go for it. Even if it's not "me", I think the android would do much better.

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  11. What if that perfect body malfunctioned in the future? You would have killed your real body. A good Sci Fi idea for a novel. Ben Bova wrote a Sci Fi novel about a U.S. General who had clones made of his son and educated each one to be an expert in the different fields one would to be master of to be President of the United States. The expert in public speaking ran and was elected. His clones helped him run the country.

    The flaw? They had only one wife. One of them started killing the others to have her to himself!

    What is a freaked Press Secretary to do when he finds the murdered body of the President in an alley only to run into the President in the Press Room?

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    1. Sounds like an interesting book. That's a good point. What if the body malfunctions?

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  12. Again, I like what Alex said, I would wonder the same. If the soul didn't get transferred, then no body upgrade for me.

    betty

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    1. That is a good question. Do our souls go with us or do they die? And another soul replaces? Or does the android have a soul?

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  13. Nah. I'm pretty damn fabulous as is lol I kid. I kid. But really I'm good how I am flaws and all

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  14. Are you kidding?! I'm already slated to get that upgrade! Christ has promised me a new glorified body free of age, decay, pain, sickness, etc. :)
    Barbara, blogging at Life & Faith in Caneyhead

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  15. Unless I was in physical pain I'm happy with my body as it is, warts and all :)

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  16. Oh, I want a lot more information than that. Like what does this new body look like? Do I get to choose? Does it feel? Smell? Taste? If so, then I'd probably be all for it cuz I sure wouldn't mind a new and perfect body (this one is starting to wear out a bit...).

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  17. Nope. Imperfection makes for some amazing moments. We're not meant to be perfect. Life would be WAY too boring.

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  18. There are a lot of good (and not so good, I suppose) fiction pieces on this. For me, I prefer it stay fiction for now. :)

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    1. Yeah. I don't have any original ideas. I just try to come up with questions.

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I appreciate your comments.

I respond to comments* via email, unless your profile email is not enabled. Then, I'll reply in the comment thread. Eventually. Probably.

*Exception: I do not respond to "what if?" comments, but I do read them all. Those questions are open to your interpretation, and I don't wish to limit your imagination by what I thought the question was supposed to be.