Many people are repelled by the idea of uploading, in part because the usual descriptions of it are very alien — we become abstract computer-based software entities living in arbitrary virtual realities. An uploaded human brain running on a desktop computer might run many millions of times faster than us ordinary folks. At such speeds the time penalty for slowing down enough to experience an ordinary body would be far too great to allow many such indulgences. People’s strong need for the familiar physical sensations and comforts would have to satisfied in a virtual reality that had little direct connection to ordinary physical reality.

But the future will still have a lot of physical work to be done, work which could greatly benefit the incredible space/time reasoning and control abilities our brains have developed over the ages. Perhaps a million slower minds would often be more economically useful than one super-fast one. I imagine people will want to make their new uploaded world as similar as possible to the old familiar world, just as we now try to keep close to nature and try to preserve familiar ways of dressing and organizing households. Though they could not overcome overwhelming economic pressure, such social tendencies can be remarkably strong.

Thus I am drawn to imagining lilliputian uploads — tiny bodies shaped like ours with a brain cavity filled with not much more computer power than it takes to keep up the faster body movements of their smaller bodies. This approach allows us to speed up thinking, devote a substantial fraction of our mass to advanced brain hardware, and yet continue our direct interaction with physical reality.

While various body sizes would be possible, I suspect standardization pressures would encourage one

From: Robin Hanson hanson@charon.arc.nasa.gov

To: nanotech@cs.rutgers.edu

Date: Tue, 5 May 1992 16:51-0700

Subject: Lilliputian Uploads (sci.nanotech submission)

(or at most a few) standardized body sizes. Thus I see small cities landscaped with real but small plants, houses and churches build from wood, all looking recognizably like the world we live in. As now, wealthier citizens would be able to better afford country estates that look more like the old days, and the less wealthy may settle for more functional and temporarily-alien accommodations.

Of course many things would be strange compared to now, with backups, travel by “teleportation”, and the wrenching economic, social, and legal changes resulting from the ability to make copies. But this would be all the more reason for people to cling to the familiar.

In fact, I have done a nano-calculation and estimate these uploads would stand within an order of magnitude of a 1/4 inch tall (the same size as in Honey, I Shrunk the Kids!), and run perhaps a few

hundred times faster than us (with much more uncertainty in this figure). Thus billions of these uploads might live in one current office building.

Here is my calculation:

Assume we are just scaling down a 6 foot tall person using similar materials, so that the periods of typical body motions scale with the body size. Our 1500 cc brain cavity is scaled down also, and filled 1/2 with fast nano-mechanical RAM, and 1/2 with nano-mechanical CPUs. The specs of these devices are conservatively estimated by Drexler [upcoming Nanosystems book] to be: CPU: 10⁹ instructions per second (= 1000 MIPS) fits in a cube 400 nm (nanometer) on a side, uses 90 nW (nanoWatt). Contains 10⁶ “transistors” and 10⁴ bit registers.

RAM: as fast as CPU registers takes 40 nm³ per bit stored.

Our current brains use about 25

EXTROPY #14 (7:1) First Quarter 1995

30

Watts to have our estimated 10¹⁵ synapses fire about 10 times per second each. Let us say that simulating a brain takes c10¹⁵ bits of memory, and s10¹⁵ instructions per second, where we may differ on estimates of the variables c and s. The smaller c and s get, the better our software will have become at compacting memory and speeding up the simulation.

Merkle [“Energy Limits to the Computational Power of the Human Brain”, Foresight Update #6] estimates c < 1, s = .001 to 10. Moravec [Mind Children] estimates c = .1, s = .01. Schwartz [special AI issue of Daedalus] estimates c = 100, s = 1000. Results below will be parameterized in terms of c and s.

Let me also introduce a parameter x describing how fast we run the nanomechanical CPUs relative to their nominal speed. Slower speeds generate less heat. O.K., here are my estimates:

height: l = c^1/3 * 6.8 mm body motion speedup: b = c^-1/3 * 266 mind speedup wrt body: m = c^4/3 * x/s * 2.4 cpu heat generation: h = c * x^2 * 56 Watts total speedup wrt us: t = c * x/s * 640

For uploads that live in air and don’t have to drag a cable around with them, 56 Watts seems a bit much — they would glow like Tinkerbell! If the mind is to at least be able to keep up with the body, we need some wins in s relative to c the allow us to lower x. That or accept an upload brain dominated by CPU. Note that x << 1 would require using reversible software (which avoids erasing registers), whose extra overhead would cost another constant penalty of ~ 10.

Note that if c = .4, one of our days would be a year for them, like living in the arctic circle is for us.

What good is an EXTRO¹ T-shirt once you’re uploaded? Better get one now!

T-shirts cost

$15 each

($14 for ExI members), postage included.

(Only Large size left.)

To order your EXTRO 1 T-shirt, send a check or cash to:

Department S, Extropy Institute

13428 Maxella Avenue, #273

Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

31

EXTROPY #14 (7:1) First Quarter 1995

BREAKTHROUGHS:

A TRANSCENTURY UPDATE HOST/PRODUCER: NANCIE CLARK

“Startlingly original! Beyond the cutting edge. This is essential viewing for anyone interested in expanding their mind.”

PART 1 Transhumanist Philosophy Max More, Robin Hanson, William Wiser

PART 2 Extropy Institute, MI, Uploads Max More, Robin Hanson, Abe Heward

PART 3 Indefinite Lifespan, Uploads Max More, Robin Hanson, Chris Heward, Tim Freeman

Part 4 Alcor Foundation and Cryonics Max More, Regina Pancake, Dan Spitzer, Tim Freeman

Parts 1 & 2 — donation of $18.50 Parts 3 & 4 — donation of $20.00

Dept. S, Extropy Institute, 13428 Maxella Ave. #273, Marina Del Rey, CA 90292

FREE INQUIRY Magazine presents … Prometheus DEFENDED America’s leading journal of secular humanism explores the transhuman In its Fall 1994 issue, FREE INQUIRY airs stirring defenses of science and technology and celebrates liberating advances in THE STUDY OF CONSCIOUSNESS • GENETICS • ROBOTICS • EXTROPY • HUMAN- MACHINE INTERFACES • and more! Articles by MAX MORE • BART KOSKO BRUCE MAZLISH • PAUL KURTZ Exclusive interview FRANCIS CRICK Even a defense of Dr. Frankenstein! FREE INQUIRY is published quarterly by the Council for Democratic and Secular Humanism (CODESH), Inc. Free Inquiry $5 Special Price This Issue $25/yr ☐ Send me FREE INQUIRY’s “Defense of Prometheus” issue for just $5.00. ☐ Enter my one-year subscription for $25. Name Address City State Zip ( ) Check enclosed ( ) MC ( ) Visa No. Exp. Signature (required for charges) Mail to FREE INQUIRY • Box 664 • Amherst NY 14226-0664 • Charge orders call TOLL FREE 1-800-458-1366

Continued from page 39

is the online Extropian virtual community. The Extropian cyber- community continues to expand, encompassing the main Extropians e-mail list (now in its 4th year), the Exl Essay list, five local e-mail lists for arranging meetings, parties, and other joint activities, a newsgroup, and now an Extropian presence on the World Wide Web (thanks primarily to Eric Watt Forste and Dave Krieger). Our FTP site makes available past postings to the Essay List, among other items. (See the back cover for information on most of these cyberfora.)

If this issue is your first real con- tact with extropian ideas, the short version of The Extropian Principles be- low will help clarify our shared values and goals. (The full text appeared in Extropy #11) The Principles is intended not as a detailed statement or final word on any topic, but as a codifica- tion of some of our shared values and attitudes.

THE FUTURE

1994’s Extro’ conference (with key- note speaker roboticist Hans Moravec) will be followed by the big-

Concluded on p.35

EXTROPY #14 (7:1) First Quarter 1995

32

1. Your industry:

Computer Science

2. Your business:

3. Title or position:

☐ Owner, partner ☐ Upper management ☐ Project manager/group leader ☐ Clerical ☐ Professional ☐ Consultant ☐ University faculty/researcher ☑ Student ☑ Other: Teaching assistant

4. Job function:

☑ Education or training ☐ Graphic designer, artist ☐ MIS/DP ☐ Production ☐ Research/development ☐ Sales, financial, and administrative ☐ Technical services, engineering, architectural ☐ Writer/editor ☐ Other:

5. Number of employees in your organization:

☐ Fewer than 10 ☐ 11 to 50 ☐ 51 to 200 ☐ 201 to 1000 ☐ More than 1000

6. Annual revenue of your company

☐ Less than $5 × 10⁶ (US) ☐ $5 × 10⁶ to $25 × 10⁶ ☐ $25 × 10⁶ to $10⁸ ☐ $10⁸ to $10⁹ ☐ More than $10⁹

7. What computer platforms do you work on or purchase for? (Please check all that apply.)

☐ DOS/Windows ☐ MacOS ☑ UNIX ☐ Other:

8. What kinds of software do you use regularly? (Check all that apply.)

☐ CAD/CAM ☐ Design, illustration ☑ Mosaic/E-mail/Other Internet activity ☐ Music ☐ Productivity (calendar, contact mgmt.) ☑ Programming/authoring tools

☐ Simulation/modeling/visualization ☐ Spreadsheets or databases ☐ Statistical analysis (SPSS, JMP) ☑ Word processing/DTP

9. What kinds of features would you like to see more often in EXTROPY? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Debate/Forum ☐ Economic/Political ☐ Humor ☑ Interviews ☑ Letters to the Editor ☐ Memetics ☑ Philosophy ☑ Reviews ☐ Speculative engineering ☐ Tutorial/How-To ☐ Other:

10. What kinds of features would you like to see more often in EXPONENT? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Advice ☐ Extropian community news ☐ Extropy Institute news ☐ Financial updates ☐ Member Profiles ☐ Progress reports ☐ Regional Extropian events ☐ Reviews ☐ Tech News ☐ Tutorial/How-To ☐ Other:

11. Do you presently own or plan to acquire any of the following products for yourself or your home in the next 12 months? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Big-screen TV ☐ Camcorder ☐ CD-ROM drive ☐ Cellular phone or modem ☐ Desktop video capability ☐ Fax machine or fax modem ☑ Firearm or other weapon ☑ Home gym or other exercise equipment ☑ Home or car stereo equipment ☐ Internet direct connection ☐ Internet domain name ☐ Internet SLIP connection ☐ MIDI/Music hardware or software ☐ Light/sound mind machine (SynchroEnergizer, etc.) ☐ Modem ☐ Multimedia accessories (audio or video board, etc.) ☑ Personal computer ☐ Personal digital assistant ☐ Personal stereo (Walkman) ☐ Portable computer ☐ Spa/Jacuzzi/Hot tub

12. Do you participate in any of the following on a regular basis? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Exercise (more than once/week) ☑ Fan conventions ☐ Martial arts/self-defense training ☐ Political party or organization ☑ Reading for pleasure ☐ Role-playing games ☐ Technical or professional conferences ☑ Vegetarian/Vegan/ restricted-calorie diet

13. Which of the following do you use on a regular basis? (Check all that apply.)

☐ CompuServe/Prodigy/AOL/etc. ☐ Computer BBSs (non-Internet) ☑ Internet E-mail ☑ Motivational or instructional tapes ☐ Nootropics/“smart drugs” ☐ Personal encryption software ☐ Post Office box or other mailbox ☐ Video or computer games ☑ Vitamin/nutrient supplements

14. Do you subscribe or plan to subscribe to any of the following magazines/journals? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Asimov’s/Analog/Fantasy & Science Fiction/other SF ☐ Berkeley Wellness Letter ☐ Forbes/Fortune/other financial ☐ Free Inquiry ☐ Longevity ☐ Mondo 2000/bOING bOING/Singularity/other “zine” ☐ Reason/Liberty/other libertarian ☑ Science News ☑ Science/Nature ☑ Scientific American ☐ Whole Earth Review ☐ WIRED

15. Do you belong to or plan to join any of the following organizations? (Check all that apply.)

☐ Alcor/ACS/CryoCare/other cryonics organization ☐ Extropy Institute ☑ Foresight Institute ☑ Libertarian Party ☑ Life Extension Foundation ☑ National Rifle Association ☐ National Space Society

16. Gender

☐ Female ☑ Male

17. Age

☐ Under 20 years of age ☑ 21 to 30 ☐ 31 to 40 ☐ 41 to 50

☐ 51 to 64 ☐ 65 or older

18. Education

☐ Graduated high school ☐ Attended college ☐ Four-year degree or equivalent ☐ Post-graduate study ☑ Master’s degree or equivalent ☐ Doctorate or equivalent

19. Employment Income

☑ Under $30,000 (US) ☐ $30,000 to $39,999 ☐ $40,000 to $49,999 ☐ $50,000 to $59,999 ☐ $60,000 to $69,999 ☐ $70,000 to $79,999 ☐ $80,000 to $89,999 ☐ $90,000 to $99,999 ☐ $100,000 or more

20. Household Income

☑ Under $30,000 (US) ☐ $30,000 to $39,999 ☐ $40,000 to $49,999 ☐ $50,000 to $59,999 ☐ $60,000 to $69,999 ☐ $70,000 to $79,999 ☐ $80,000 to $89,999 ☐ $90,000 to $99,999 ☐ $100,000 or more

21. Comments on this survey or on EXTROPY in general:

If you would like to be eligible to win an EXTROPY T-shirt, book, or audio tape, we ask for the following information:

NAME

ADDRESS

CITY/STATE/ZIP

INTERNET EMAIL ADDRESS

33

EXTROPY #14 (7:1) First Quarter 1995