Just noticed the link and read the Black Belt Bayesian post.

I Would like to say that I am a nerd/geek/code monkey...started programming when I was about 10 on a little Texas Instruments computer hooked up to the TV in the living room...grew up on Star Trek with all the models, toys, and posters hanging on my walls and a collection of every Star Trek novel and trading card. Played AD&D (thanks Gary) and ShadowRun religiously. I believe the Singularity is truly near and I read the books. So I am not bashing us, just offering a touch of skepticism towards the need to be so excited about something so serious. I just think we should take a step back and think about it a bit more and at times see it through the eys of others. Bad planning up front can make for a big mess at the end.

No one in the singularity movement may be dealing in revenge fantasies, but we need to keep in mind that the singularity movement may not be in charge of the singularity...Cultural and personal interactions that have been taking place for thousands and thousands of years will culiminate into this singular event. As Ray Kurzweil points out, this is a natural step in evolution. Evolution is not friendly and a friendly AI can't please everyone. The Singularity deals with the mind and intelligence...only the fittest of mind may be allowed to continue to evolve....just a thought. May or may not be correct, but a thought none the less.

You bring up some good stuff.

This makes me wonder then what will actually be uploaded if and when the Singularity happens. Unless the computer is quantum or some yet unknown computing technology then the memories would have to be stored digitally. If they were, then the system would probably be able to read them if you were still able to read them yourself...regardless if they were real memories or not. This is especially so if the system is itself a high level AI. For continuation of self you would need your memories, and the system would have to allow for the fluctuations in the mind to adequately re-create the mind.

The brain, and the mind that comes from it, are fickle things that change and grow based on stimuli from the natural environment, The chemicals that flow through our system's play a large role in the way we think and who we are on a daily basis. Just simulating the structure of the brain and copying it wouldn't be enough, you would need to recreate the entire system. It would probably be best to simulate the entire environment that the body and mind are used to and then allow it to slowly change from there. Most minds probably couldn't handle the shock of a sudden shift in reality. Heck, people have a hard time when they get transplanted body parts from someone else.

Anyways, Let's hope the system is open source and a lot of people know what it is doing "under the hood" before we make the leap of faith that it is going to be a bloody good time for all. If we're not careful we might get uploaded and immediately go insane.

That is, of course, until the super-intelligence punches a hole in spacetime and views the account first hand.