Talk:Whole-body transplant

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I agree with the objection to the merge. However, both articles are written in such a way that the two procedures could easily be mistaken for each other. I suggest editing both articles to remove this ambiguity and move all references to 'downloaders' to the current article. --Phils 14:03, 17 Oct 2004 (UTC)


redirecting 'downloading conciousness' to this page is wrong. there is another entire discourse on downloading conciousness that has nothing to do with growing new organic human bodies. It is quite possible to discuss downloading conciousness without discussing whole-body transplant, as only the ethical questions are related, the technical questions are likely not related at all.

Downloading (or uploading, as is prefered by transhumanists, et al.) does not consist of transfering a human brain into a robotic body, it consists of transfering the mind from an organic subtrate to a nonorganic substrate, often involving the replacement of neurons individually with computationally simulated equivalents until the entire brain exists within the simulation. - Augur

The page mind transfer covers all of these variants, and that's where "downloading conciousness" currently redirects. Bryan 02:08, 26 Jan 2005 (UTC)

People might actually want brain transplants if they ever become available as the alternative is death. while i personally don't agree with that train of thought - the possible vampire-like taking of someone else's body for one thing. i thought it best to report what other people have said on the matter.

PMelvilleAustin 21:02 Mar 22, 2003 (UTC)

"Both goals are often derided as insane or unethical by religious and social leaders, who point deep to the disruption and inequality immortality of any sort is likely to cause."

What?? - Omegatron

Contents

[edit] Merge proposal with head transplant

Whosyourjudas just proposed merging this article with head transplant. I don't think that's entirely appropriate, since a head transplant and a whole-body transplant are rather different things; whole-body transplantation is primarily the realm of fiction and philosophy, whereas head transplants have actually been performed on chimps and proposed as a serious medical procedure for use in the current real world. Some of the philosophical and moral issues are the same, but then they're also similar to some of the issues raised in Mind transfer so cross-linking the articles to refer to the discussion of them shouldn't be a problem. However, I can also see the point that these two procedures could indeed be similar enough to be worth covering in a unified manner, so I'm tossing the issue in here on talk: to see what other people think. Bryan 05:28, 3 Oct 2004 (UTC)

I don't think it'd be unreasonable. Since the head transplant article is so small (not much more than a stub), it would probably be best to redirect the title here and put its text in as a section. BobGreenwade 17:44, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] BrainTrans hoax

There is this one site that claims it has been done, though it look legitimate, there are certain things in it that might give it away that it isn't. Of course our first reaction is that it is indeed a hoax. I'm wondering if we should add in some informaiton about this site and tell that that thought they have no proof that they have actually done it, that they offer brain transplants. BrainTrans http://216.247.9.207/bthtml/about.htm

This is a hoax/gag site. The main problem currently with WBTs is the nerve-healing issue (which I recently added in to the main article). Before there can be a successful transplant this issue must be resolved (though from all I've read it really is the last hurdle to the possibility). Still, a link to this site (probably at this link) with that disclaimer, explaining that it's what such a procedure might look like in the end, probably wouldn't hurt. BobGreenwade 19:04, 30 October 2005 (UTC)

Moved to this section:

Is this site: here, a hoax, or is this operation possible? I think they are just scammers, but.... -- ChessManXI 05:33, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

I added the link noting "hoax / humor". If the link is not appropriate as humor, then it may be as hoax warning.--Patrick 12:27, 3 January 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Title Change?

Just out of curiousity, does anyone else think that 'Brain Transplant' would be a better name for this article? The two terms seem to be interchangable (judging from the first sentence), and brain transplant is less likely to confuse the average reader.

The term "Brain Transplant" already redirects here for those searching under that term. "Whole-body transplant" is (from what I've gathered) what the procedure is being called medically. BobGreenwade 18:49, 22 December 2005 (UTC)

[edit] human cloning vs. brain transplant

"The procedure seems to be a far-off goal. However, it should be noted that human cloning seemed equally impossible a generation ago."

I removed it and it got reverted so I offer discussion.

That human cloning used to seem impossible is an observation completely peripheral to an article about brain transplants. It's an observation one arguing a point may make in conversation, but not something an encyclopedia would add matter-of-factly. I could just as easily counter with the technologies in fiction or of futurists that have not come to fruition by the year 2006. I submit that the second sentence imposes a POV concerning short-term feasability.--Loodog 17:36, 8 August 2006 (UTC)

  • The original quote said, "human cloning itself seemed impossible," so I misinterpreted your edit-out. (It wasn't exactly a revert so much as an alteration intended to fit the objection.) And I have seen such statements in printed encyclopedias (such as World Book and Brittanica). That said, your final statement is valid -- perhaps it could be changed to something like: "Today, the procedure seems to be an unlikely if not impossible goal. However, other technologies, such as human cloning, seemed equally impossible a generation ago." BobGreenwade 18:02, 8 August 2006 (UTC)


[edit] Pointless info

"In the final level of Fallout Tactics: Brotherhood of Steel, players are given the choice to either use their brain as a replacement for the damaged vault computer or with General Barnaky's." This is exactly what I was hoping to learn...just what levels of what videogames this subject relates to. I think I should spin off a "how it relates to obscure games" encyclopedia.--Openman 23:41, 26 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] THIS IS GOING TO SAVE OUR LIVES!!!

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this title is fine because with out the brain there really is no body...

i'm going to take a stab in the dark and say none of you "commenters" are scientists so shut up because you have no research to back yourself up...

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[edit] Citation needed??

First paragraph, about brain transplants: "The necessary technology currently needed exists to fully and safely perform this procedure."

As far as I'm aware this is false, although I'd love to see a source. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 220.233.238.142 (talk) 10:11, 21 May 2008 (UTC)

  • I also believe that the statement is false. I removed it, though I won't complain if the person who originally put the statement in wants to reinstate it (provided the same person supports it here). BobGreenwade (talk) 23:37, 22 May 2008 (UTC)