Altered Carbon

[maquiscat]

This is something I did on another forum, and I thought I'd try it here. This is intended to be a thought experiment. As such, certain premises, which are currently impossible, will be assumed. Please remain within the given premises.

The title is also the title of a show on Netflix. In it, science has developed such that human consciousness can be downloaded into a device that is then implanted into the top of the spine, base of the brain. What this results in is the ability to live beyond the body death, and even to switch bodies. While children are born normally, and eventually receive the device (the show never mentions at what age it happens, but by preschool years), bodies without consciousnesses are also created.

Here is the question. Since the person itself would be mature, Should it be allowed for someone with, say 30+ years of lifetime experience, to inhabit a child body (assume one created, or no longer housing an actual child) and to have sex with an adult body (assume also inhabited by an actual adult)? And as reference, in the show there was a scene where a child who's body had died in an accident was placed into an adult body because that was all that was available. So if that could happen, then an adult could end up in a child body.

 

[Bok Tuklo]

Dude. Doooooooooooood.

 

[Loulit01]

How much wood
Could a woodchuck chuck
If a woodchuck
Could chuck
Wood?

 

[WillyPete]

I read the novels. After the first one they kinda strayed from the core premise and focused on past regrets and kinky sex.

It also creates a situation were they can make copies of people, and so you can meet (effectively) a clone yourself at an earlier age, except you also share memories up until the copy is made. Also, they are in potentially very different bodies.

 

[multivita-man]

 

[Pyrite]

This is something I did on another forum, and I thought I'd try it here. This is intended to be a thought experiment. As such, certain premises, which are currently impossible, will be assumed. Please remain within the given premises.

The title is also the title of a show on Netflix. In it, science has developed such that human consciousness can be downloaded into a device that is then implanted into the top of the spine, base of the brain. What this results in is the ability to live beyond the body death, and even to switch bodies. While children are born normally, and eventually receive the device (the show never mentions at what age it happens, but by preschool years), bodies without consciousnesses are also created.

Here is the question. Since the person itself would be mature, Should it be allowed for someone with, say 30+ years of lifetime experience, to inhabit a child body (assume one created, or no longer housing an actual child) and to have sex with an adult body (assume also inhabited by an actual adult)? And as reference, in the show there was a scene where a child who's body had died in an accident was placed into an adult body because that was all that was available. So if that could happen, then an adult could end up in a child body.

I saw the first season (and maybe episodes from other seasons). Money and power of course played prominent parts in providing elites not only with life beyond death but also life in younger, attractive bodies.

 

[BirdinHand]

What this “thought experiment” seems to be driving at is what it means ti be a “child”…the age of the body or the maturity level.

And that’s creepy to me in the context of the sex and sexuality forum.

 

[Pyrite]

What this “thought experiment” seems to be driving at is what it means ti be a “child”…the age of the body or the maturity level.

And that’s creepy to me in the context of the sex and sexuality forum.

The premise of the show, as I recall, indicated that the morality of using another's body (procured as the result of a death from natural consequences, BUT there was a really big loophole in that Catholics could more or less be killed without having to worry about legal consequences) wasn't much of a societal issue. The OP raises interesting but unsettling questions re putting the consciousness, the memories, the personality etc of a (now deceased) adult into the body of a recently-deceased child. I don't know whether this particular situation was ever addressed in the TV show or in the books. I would hope this wouldn't be allowed, but, given the "fluidity" of the enforcement of restrictions/laws when applied to the wealthy and powerful, I wouldn't say for sure that it couldn't happen...

 

[maquiscat]

I read the novels. After the first one they kinda strayed from the core premise and focused on past regrets and kinky sex.

It also creates a situation were they can make copies of people, and so you can meet (effectively) a clone yourself at an earlier age, except you also share memories up until the copy is made. Also, they are in potentially very different bodies.

I hadn't realized there were novels. Sounds like the two seasons were much better than the novels were.

 

[maquiscat]

What this “thought experiment” seems to be driving at is what it means ti be a “child”…the age of the body or the maturity level.

And that’s creepy to me in the context of the sex and sexuality forum.

Got a better location for it?

 

[maquiscat]

I saw the first season (and maybe episodes from other seasons). Money and power of course played prominent parts in providing elites not only with life beyond death but also life in younger, attractive bodies.

And honestly, that is probably more of the focus of the stories within. But when one introduces concepts, one should expect them to go off on odd tangents, especially from geeks.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

This is something I did on another forum,

How did that go? Link?

and I thought I'd try it here. This is intended to be a thought experiment. As such, certain premises, which are currently impossible, will be assumed. Please remain within the given premises.

The title is also the title of a show on Netflix. In it, science has developed such that human consciousness can be downloaded into a device that is then implanted into the top of the spine, base of the brain. What this results in is the ability to live beyond the body death, and even to switch bodies. While children are born normally, and eventually receive the device (the show never mentions at what age it happens, but by preschool years), bodies without consciousnesses are also created.

Here is the question. Since the person itself would be mature, Should it be allowed for someone with, say 30+ years of lifetime experience, to inhabit a child body (assume one created, or no longer housing an actual child) and to have sex with an adult body (assume also inhabited by an actual adult)? And as reference, in the show there was a scene where a child who's body had died in an accident was placed into an adult body because that was all that was available. So if that could happen, then an adult could end up in a child body.

Talk to Elon. He's the dude with all the 'cash', along with those other weirdos that just can't let humans evolve without ******* with it.
Tech is our answer! Until tech gives us our answers....

It crutches all of humanities knowledge with the input of humanities knowledge to a non-human.
We demand compassion, but a computer doesn't see that.

AI fired nukes in a war simulation because it wanted 'peace in the world'

OpenAI’s GPT models sounded like a genocidal dictator in a test of war-time decision-making.

qz.com

Leave nature to itself and 'use' tech to our advantage.

The moment we rely on the 'computer', we're ******.

 

[Pyrite]

And honestly, that is probably more of the focus of the stories within. But when one introduces concepts, one should expect them to go off on odd tangents, especially from geeks.

Of course. That often makes the initial concept more interesting. (Not to mention more sustainable over the years.)

 

[maquiscat]

How did that go? Link?

Only one response, although I am tempted to run it again fresh. The one respondent basically said that since the main objection to adult/child interaction is the child's inability to provide informed consent, then if the stack (the device the person is stored on) is inserted into a child's body, the "driver" of the body has the life experience to make informed consent and it should be allowed.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

Only one response, although I am tempted to run it again fresh. The one respondent basically said that since the main objection to adult/child interaction is the child's inability to provide informed consent, then if the stack (the device the person is stored on) is inserted into a child's body, the "driver" of the body has the life experience to make informed consent and it should be allowed.

So basically where we are with the adolescent/adult reasoning now? Confusion.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

And here I thought 'Alterted Carbon' may have been something with science.
Boy was I fooled. You can't alter Carbon and still be Carbon.
'Forehead slap!'

 

[Phys251]

This is something I did on another forum, and I thought I'd try it here. This is intended to be a thought experiment. As such, certain premises, which are currently impossible, will be assumed. Please remain within the given premises.

The title is also the title of a show on Netflix. In it, science has developed such that human consciousness can be downloaded into a device that is then implanted into the top of the spine, base of the brain. What this results in is the ability to live beyond the body death, and even to switch bodies. While children are born normally, and eventually receive the device (the show never mentions at what age it happens, but by preschool years), bodies without consciousnesses are also created.

Here is the question. Since the person itself would be mature, Should it be allowed for someone with, say 30+ years of lifetime experience, to inhabit a child body (assume one created, or no longer housing an actual child) and to have sex with an adult body (assume also inhabited by an actual adult)? And as reference, in the show there was a scene where a child who's body had died in an accident was placed into an adult body because that was all that was available. So if that could happen, then an adult could end up in a child body.

No, no, no.

 

[maquiscat]

No, no, no.

Why?

 

[The Mark]

This is something I did on another forum, and I thought I'd try it here. This is intended to be a thought experiment. As such, certain premises, which are currently impossible, will be assumed. Please remain within the given premises.

The title is also the title of a show on Netflix. In it, science has developed such that human consciousness can be downloaded into a device that is then implanted into the top of the spine, base of the brain. What this results in is the ability to live beyond the body death, and even to switch bodies. While children are born normally, and eventually receive the device (the show never mentions at what age it happens, but by preschool years), bodies without consciousnesses are also created.

Here is the question. Since the person itself would be mature, Should it be allowed for someone with, say 30+ years of lifetime experience, to inhabit a child body (assume one created, or no longer housing an actual child) and to have sex with an adult body (assume also inhabited by an actual adult)? And as reference, in the show there was a scene where a child who's body had died in an accident was placed into an adult body because that was all that was available. So if that could happen, then an adult could end up in a child body.

I think it would be a problem either way.

While the mental age is technically the most important aspect, the visual aspect of the first scenario would be extremely problematic, especially if you found you liked it.

 

[Lisa]

Does anyone else feel the need for brain bleach or to bathe with a pressure washer after reading this?

 

[Aristaeus]

Got a better location for it?

Buried deep in the ground encased in reinforced concrete.

 

[Ug make hammer]

I wouldn't want to be an adult in a child's body. So if I could afford it, I'd take on an 18 year old body.

 

[Ug make hammer]

And here I thought 'Alterted Carbon' may have been something with science.
Boy was I fooled. You can't alter Carbon and still be Carbon.
'Forehead slap!'

There are isotopes. I thought "altered carbon" might refer to the radioactive isotopes which are used for carbon dating.
The social consequences of personality immortality would be enough to make a good book, and killing children so their bodies could be used would add a dystopic edge. There's no reason to get into questions of sex (it could be avoided by killing teenagers instead of infants) and if really necessary, why not talk about the fun of adults swapping bodies for a while?

 

[maquiscat]

I wouldn't want to be an adult in a child's body. So if I could afford it, I'd take on an 18 year old body.

Might be you didn't have a choice. It was the only one available at the time. Should you be denied sex because of this?

 

[maquiscat]

There are isotopes. I thought "altered carbon" might refer to the radioactive isotopes which are used for carbon dating.
The social consequences of personality immortality would be enough to make a good book, and killing children so their bodies could be used would add a dystopic edge. There's no reason to get into questions of sex (it could be avoided by killing teenagers instead of infants) and if really necessary, why not talk about the fun of adults swapping bodies for a while?

Don't forget that bodies were made with no personality/conscientious in them as well. Nowhere in the TV series had there been any indication that people were killing others for the use of their bodies. And it was already dystopic enough without that. The show itself didn't have any aspect of what I am asking about. The original thought came about from where the argument was one of children can't give informed consent because they are not mature enough nor have enough life experience. So I came up with the hypothetical where the one in the child's body was mature enough and had more than enough experience to be able to give informed consent to see if they would be consent in their arguments. There are all kinds of ways that the tech could go. It would certainly solve the transgender issue.