Many thinkers believe that we will eventually be able to preserve our consciousness indefinitely. There are a number of scenarios by which this might be accomplished but so-called mind uploading is one of the most prominent. Continue reading Mind Uploading
I believe that it should be up to individuals to determine when and how they die. For instance, if I am diagnosed with dementia, I would rather die (almost immediately) than subject my family and myself to that fate. When one’s consciousness has been severely compromised and will become increasingly impaired, life has lost its meaning. Continue reading Euthanasia
“Philosopher in Meditation” Rembrandt, 1632, Musée du Louvre, Paris.
It is hard to control our minds. Obsessive, unclear, unwanted, and destructive thoughts continually invade our minds causing fear, anxiety, indecision, anger, and depression. Sometimes we seem powerless to prevent this invasion. Continue reading Philosophical Meditation
In the final episode of Cosmos (Who Speaks for Earth?) Carl Sagan wonders whether our species will survive. (Cosmos had a tremendous influence on me when I first saw it about 40 years ago.) Here are the opening lines, Continue reading Carl Sagan & Human Survival