Can brain-computer interface (BCI) technology lead to immortality?——A discussion based on traditional philosophy of life and death
Given the perplexity surrounding the hypothesis that brain-computer interface (BCI) technology could enable immortality,this paper employs traditional philosophy of life and death to analyze the technological essence of BCI.The core issue to address is whether BCI truly achieves the replication and continuation of the subject of life.An analysis of the dual nature of the mind as the subject of life reveals the following results:(1) The ontological mind is non-functionalist,meaning that it is not equivalent to the data set collected from brain signals;(2) The subjective mind is non-computational,meaning that it cannot be equated with the programmed operations of a machine.Therefore,BCI does not achieve the replication or immortality of the mind;it merely engages in the observation and simulation of physiological representations detached from the true existence of life.Besides,the paper reflects on the limitations of similar"digital immortality"technologies in their understanding of life.These technologies lack a deeper comprehension of the subjectivity and even the ontology of life,which leads to a materialistic and representational identification of life.Consequently,they focus on capturing,digitizing,and programming partial physiological signals,making such"digital immortality"impossible to achieve.