this post was submitted on 25 Jul 2023
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You know those sci-fi teleporters like in Star Trek where you disappear from one location then instantaneously reappear in another location? Do you trust that they are safe to use?

To fully understand my question, you need to understand the safety concerns regarding teleporters as explained in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQHBAdShgYI

spoilerI wouldn't, because the person that reappears aint me, its a fucking clone. Teleporters are murder machines. Star Trek is a silent massacre!

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[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Depends on how the teleportation worked and also how our consciousness worked. I’m not against the idea of creating exact copies of myself who, from their point of view, are indistinguishable from the me they were copied from. I am, however, against the idea of deleting the original me, which from my point of view would be indistinguishable from death,

Transferring consciousness is different from copying consciousness, even if the copy is flawless.

This is the same answer as the question of uploading our consciousness to a computer.

To my limited understanding, the us that exists is just a network of neural connections. If you could somehow copy that network exactly, you could conceivably create a complete personality copy of an individual, but that’s not the same thing as moving their consciousness.

[–] [email protected] 6 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If it existed, was proven safe, and was widely available enough for anyone to use, then of course.

The auto and airline industries would collapse, reducing pollution and global warming.

The biggest downside I can think of offhand is that everyone could vacation wherever they like, and that would quickly overcrowd and ruin all the nice places.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

What if it's "proven safe" in the same way that surgery under general anaesthetic is safe - nobody remembers feeling pain. Nobody (mostly) reports pain after waking up. But what if it's torture and you just don't remember it afterwards.

Teleporter is kinda the same, but no one coming out of the other end remembers dying because in their memory they didn't.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Oof...everybody being able to go to whatever the latest viral pool above a waterfall or cronut shop is all at once...

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

If I were afraid to use the teleporter I’d be afraid to go to sleep. And I ain’t going there, so yes I would use the teleporter.

Also PSA for anyone using an iphone: it’s unaware of the word “teleporter” and will autocorrect it to teleported.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

My continuity of experience continues, therefore I'm still me. Yes I would use it. I don't care if I'm also the man in the box.

[–] Sanctus 5 points 1 year ago

We've seen someone's POV going through a transporter. From your own perspective you would just see some glowy shit and appear at your destination. Of course, I would make an army of myself with another me in the transport buffer tweaked to retain the pattern for a long time. But instant transportation is invaluable.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

As long as it us thoroughly tested and considered safe. I'm not going first.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I would use it. Anything to not have to use public transportation or fly in an airplane ever again.

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[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Fuck yeah I would. As long as it's cheap and relatively safe I'd take instant transportation over spending hours sitting in a metal box any day.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Here's another great video on the transporter problem!

To be

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Here is an alternative Piped link(s): https://piped.video/KUXKUcsvhQc

Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.

I'm open-source, check me out at GitHub.

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[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I'm with old Dr. McCoy from that one TNG episode on this one. Not a chance.

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[–] PlutoniumAcid 3 points 1 year ago

I'm already a clone. Sure, why not.

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