Oh man, anyone who runs on such existential maximalism has such infinite power to state things as if their conclusion has only one possible meaning.
How about invoking Monkey Paw -- what if every statement is true but just not in the way they think.
- A perfect memory which is infinitely copyable and scaleable is possible. And it's called, all the things in nature in sum.
- In fact, we're already there today, because it is, quite literally the sum of nature. The question for tomorrow is, "so like, what else is possible?"
- And it might not even have to try or do anything at all, especially if we don't bother to save ourselves from ecological disaster.
- What we don't know can literally be anything. That's why it's important not to project fantasy, but to conserve of the fragile beauty of what you have, regardless of whether things will "one day fall apart". Death and Taxes mate.
And yud can both one day technically right and whose interpretations today are dumb and worthy of mockery.
This kind of thing is a fluff piece, meant to be suggestive but ultimately saying nothing at all. There are many reasons to hate Bostrom, just read his words, but this is two philosophers who apparently need attention because they have nothing useful to say. All of Bostrom's points here could be summed up as "don't piss on things, generally speaking."
As for consciousness. Honestly, my brain turns off instantly when someone tries to make any point about consciousness. Seriously though, does anyone actually use the category of "conscious / unconscious" to make any decision?
I don't disrespect the dead (not conscious). I don't bother animals or insects when I have no business with them (conscious maybe not conscious?). I don't treat my furniture or clothes like shit, and am generally pleased they exist. (not conscious). When encountering something new or unusual, I just ask myself, "is it going to bite me?" first. (consciousness is irrelevant) I know some of my actions do harm either directly or indirectly to other things, such as eating, or consuming, or making mistakes, or being. But I don't assume myself a hero or arbiter of moral integrity, I merely acknowledge and do what I can. Again, consciousness kind of irrelevant.
Does anyone run consciousness litmus tests on their friends or associates first before interacting, ever? If so, does it sting?