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Coalescing Minds and Personal
Identity
Harri Valpola
Kaj Sotala
Overview
How to coalesce minds using an exocortex (Harri Valpola)
– “Reverse split-brain operation”
– Neuroscience: properties of cortex making exocortex
possible
– Technology: different levels of integration (memories,
consciousness)
Implications to personal identity (Kaj Sotala)
Neuroscience Behind Exocortex
Exocortex: a prosthetic
extension of the brain (esp.
cerebral cortex)
Properties of mammalian
cerebral cortex making
exocortex possible:
1. Uniform cortical algorithm
2. Emergent attentional
process through biased
competition
3. Inherent information transfer
between cortical areas
Uniform Cortical Algorithm
To first approximation, the whole mammalian neocortex in
based on the same underlying algorithm
– Evolution and development: starts very uniform, specialises
later
– Hemispherectomy and language
– Experiments with kittens: visual representations develop in
“auditory cortices” if visual input is rewired there
– Mice get trichromatic colour vision simply by adding a third
type of cone cell on retina (no changes to cortex or other
parts of the brain)
– The brain can adapt to slowly occurring damage (such as
hydroencephaly)
Attention Emerges Through Biased
Competition
Each cortical area selects information to be represented
Biased-competition model of attention: attention emerges
from local selection and global communication
Information Transfer in the Cortex
Representations on the cortex are plastic. They can
change, e.g., in response to intensive training. Yet,
memories are preserved.
This is possible because one part of the cortex can learn
the memories of another. (Cf. consolidation of memories.)
In some mammalian species, one hemisphere is asleep
while the other is awake. Memory transfer occurs while
both are awake at the same time.
How to Build an Exocortex
Step 1: Make enough two-way connections with the cortex
– Though straight-forward conceptually, the most difficult part
in practice
– 1K connections: clearly not enough
– 100M connections: clearly enough (number of connections
in corpus callosum)
Step 2: Run the cortical algorithm long enough for the
cortex and exocortex to learn each others representations
– Comparable to learning a new language, takes time
Levels of Integration:
Memories vs. Consciousness
Exocortex makes adding new inputs and outputs to cortex
trivial  opens up many possibilities for, e.g., augmenting
senses
Connect two exocortices together = reverse split-brain
operation, coalesce two minds
Coalesce individual exocortices with a standard interface
exocortex: it will become possible to combine minds
without any further learning
Two main connection modes possible through a standard
interface exocortex:
– Shared synaptic changes = shared memories
– Shared neural activations = unified conscious process
Parfit's split-brain: Lefty and Righty
All the cartoon figures in this presentation are modified from the originals by Randall
Munroe, http://xkcd.com/.
Used under a Creative Commons BY-NC 2.5 License.
The freezing objection
Parfit: Teletransporter
Michael Cerullo (2015):
Branching identity
”There will be continuity of consciousness
between any conscious entity P1 at time T1
and P2 at time T1 if P2 contains half or more of
the psychological structure of P1 at time T1
and is activated at time T1.”
Branching identity (Cerullo): Memory
transfer
Branching & merging identity
Branching & merging identity
with partial memory transfer
Identity as a non-binary condition
Identity as a non-binary condition
●
Recall Cerullo: ”There will be continuity of consciousness
between any conscious entity P1 at time T1 and P2 at
time T1 if P2 contains half or more of the psychological
structure of P1 at time T1 and is activated at time T1.”
●
Has an implicit binary condition: there either is continuity
of consciousness or there is not
●
'Half or more' sounds a little arbitrary...
Identity as a non-binary condition
●
We propose: ”There will be a partial continuity of
consciousness between any conscious entity P1 at time
T1 and P2 at time T1 to the extent that P2 contains
psychological structure of P1 at time T1 and is activated
at time T1.”
●
Fuzzy condition: e.g. 20% continuity of consciousness
●
Could be specified further...
Coalescing minds

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Coalescing Minds and Personal Identity

  • 1. Coalescing Minds and Personal Identity Harri Valpola Kaj Sotala
  • 2. Overview How to coalesce minds using an exocortex (Harri Valpola) – “Reverse split-brain operation” – Neuroscience: properties of cortex making exocortex possible – Technology: different levels of integration (memories, consciousness) Implications to personal identity (Kaj Sotala)
  • 3. Neuroscience Behind Exocortex Exocortex: a prosthetic extension of the brain (esp. cerebral cortex) Properties of mammalian cerebral cortex making exocortex possible: 1. Uniform cortical algorithm 2. Emergent attentional process through biased competition 3. Inherent information transfer between cortical areas
  • 4. Uniform Cortical Algorithm To first approximation, the whole mammalian neocortex in based on the same underlying algorithm – Evolution and development: starts very uniform, specialises later – Hemispherectomy and language – Experiments with kittens: visual representations develop in “auditory cortices” if visual input is rewired there – Mice get trichromatic colour vision simply by adding a third type of cone cell on retina (no changes to cortex or other parts of the brain) – The brain can adapt to slowly occurring damage (such as hydroencephaly)
  • 5. Attention Emerges Through Biased Competition Each cortical area selects information to be represented Biased-competition model of attention: attention emerges from local selection and global communication
  • 6. Information Transfer in the Cortex Representations on the cortex are plastic. They can change, e.g., in response to intensive training. Yet, memories are preserved. This is possible because one part of the cortex can learn the memories of another. (Cf. consolidation of memories.) In some mammalian species, one hemisphere is asleep while the other is awake. Memory transfer occurs while both are awake at the same time.
  • 7. How to Build an Exocortex Step 1: Make enough two-way connections with the cortex – Though straight-forward conceptually, the most difficult part in practice – 1K connections: clearly not enough – 100M connections: clearly enough (number of connections in corpus callosum) Step 2: Run the cortical algorithm long enough for the cortex and exocortex to learn each others representations – Comparable to learning a new language, takes time
  • 8. Levels of Integration: Memories vs. Consciousness Exocortex makes adding new inputs and outputs to cortex trivial  opens up many possibilities for, e.g., augmenting senses Connect two exocortices together = reverse split-brain operation, coalesce two minds Coalesce individual exocortices with a standard interface exocortex: it will become possible to combine minds without any further learning Two main connection modes possible through a standard interface exocortex: – Shared synaptic changes = shared memories – Shared neural activations = unified conscious process
  • 9. Parfit's split-brain: Lefty and Righty All the cartoon figures in this presentation are modified from the originals by Randall Munroe, http://xkcd.com/. Used under a Creative Commons BY-NC 2.5 License.
  • 12. Michael Cerullo (2015): Branching identity ”There will be continuity of consciousness between any conscious entity P1 at time T1 and P2 at time T1 if P2 contains half or more of the psychological structure of P1 at time T1 and is activated at time T1.”
  • 13. Branching identity (Cerullo): Memory transfer
  • 15. Branching & merging identity with partial memory transfer
  • 16. Identity as a non-binary condition
  • 17. Identity as a non-binary condition ● Recall Cerullo: ”There will be continuity of consciousness between any conscious entity P1 at time T1 and P2 at time T1 if P2 contains half or more of the psychological structure of P1 at time T1 and is activated at time T1.” ● Has an implicit binary condition: there either is continuity of consciousness or there is not ● 'Half or more' sounds a little arbitrary...
  • 18. Identity as a non-binary condition ● We propose: ”There will be a partial continuity of consciousness between any conscious entity P1 at time T1 and P2 at time T1 to the extent that P2 contains psychological structure of P1 at time T1 and is activated at time T1.” ● Fuzzy condition: e.g. 20% continuity of consciousness ● Could be specified further...