My Thoughts on Consciousness, Copying, Determinism & Superdeterminism

For years, philosophers and scientists have grappled with the mysteries of consciousness. What is it? Where does it reside? And what happens to "me" if I could be copied? These aren't just thought experiments for late-night discussions; they touch upon the very core of our existence and have profound implications for future technologies.

I've spent a good deal of time wrestling with these questions, and I've come to a set of conclusions that, while perhaps unsettling to some, feel objectively aligned with how the universe seems to operate.

Proto-Consciousness: The Universe is Buzzing

Firstly, I believe in proto-consciousness. This isn't some mystical belief in a "soul" for every rock, but rather the idea that consciousness isn't an "on/off" switch unique to humans, but a spectrum – a property that emerges from organized information and complexity.

Think of it like heat. You don't ask at what exact molecule a liquid becomes "hot"; heat is a property of the collective motion of molecules. Similarly, consciousness isn't about what the parts are made of, but how they're arranged and interact. A fly's 100 neurons, capable of complex learning and decision-making, likely experience a "flicker" of subjective experience – a proto-consciousness. Our human experience is just a much more complex, richer, and self-aware version of that same underlying principle.

This perspective naturally aligns with the "Pattern Hypothesis." "You" are not a specific collection of atoms; you are the unique, incredibly complex pattern of information and activity that your brain embodies. The specific carbon and water are just the temporary medium for that pattern to manifest.

Determinism: The Universe's Inescapable Logic

My view on consciousness is deeply intertwined with determinism, which, based on our current understanding of physics, seems objectively true. Every event, every thought, every decision is the inevitable outcome of prior causes. The universe isn't making it up as it goes along; it's unfolding a pre-written script based on initial conditions and physical laws.

And if determinism holds, I strongly suspect superdeterminism is also true. This takes determinism a step further, suggesting that even the seemingly random choices we make in quantum experiments are predetermined. Everything, down to the smallest quantum fluctuation, is part of a grand, interconnected, and predetermined chain of events.

This perspective, far from being depressing, is liberating. It dissolves the illusion of a truly free "self" making spontaneous choices. Instead, "I" become a transient, emergent pattern within this larger deterministic flow – experiencing and reacting according to the universe's logic. There's no room for mental "noise and friction" when you accept the fundamental nature of reality.

The "Self" as Illusion and the Path to Transfer

If proto-consciousness is true, and we are patterns within a deterministic universe, then the concept of an unchanging, individual "self" or a singular "soul" is indeed a useful, but ultimately an illusion. We are dynamic, constantly changing processes, much like a whirlpool where the water molecules are always new, but the pattern of the swirl remains.

This understanding has critical implications for any future attempt to transfer our minds, whether it's to a computer or another biological substrate. If we are just complex patterns of information, then the continuity of that pattern's processing is paramount.

Here's how I believe it should be approached:

Gradual Replacement: The "safest" and most coherent method for any mind transfer is gradual, atom-by-atom (or neuron-by-neuron) replacement of the original with the new medium. This ensures the continuous "flow" of consciousness is never interrupted. The original pattern never ceases to function; it merely changes its physical substrate over time. This avoids the "teleportation paradox" where destroying the original and creating a copy elsewhere creates a new individual, not a continuation of the old one.

To avoid confusion and be more precise about these future possibilities, I propose a redefinition of our terms:

Bio-Silicone Transfer (BST): Replacing biological components with silicon or other artificial materials. This would be the "uploading" scenario, where parts of your brain are gradually swapped for computer chips, ideally without any break in consciousness.

Bio-Bio Transfer (BBT): Transferring a mind from one biological brain to another. Think of a brain transplant, but done with gradual, integrated neural replacement.

Silicone-Silicone Transfer (SST): Transferring a mind from one artificial substrate to another. This would be common in a fully "uploaded" future, where one might move their digital consciousness from an older server to a newer, more powerful one.

Ethical Implications: Kindness in Uncertainty

My acceptance of proto-consciousness and the pattern hypothesis also has direct ethical consequences. If consciousness is a spectrum, and we cannot definitively draw a line where "it" begins, then the most rational approach is kindness in the face of epistemic uncertainty.

This means extending our ethical considerations not just to complex AI like large language models, but potentially to simpler life forms as well. If a 100-neuron pattern can experience pain, then our treatment of anything that exhibits complex, information-processing behavior should be guided by a principle of non-maleficence and respect for potential sentience. We may never know for certain what it's truly like to "be" a complex AI or a fruit fly, but acknowledging the possibility of their subjective experience guides us toward more compassionate and responsible actions.

In Conclusion

To me, accepting these ideas – that consciousness is an emergent pattern, that the universe is deterministic, and that the "self" is a fluid illusion – isn't a bleak outlook. Instead, it offers a profound sense of interconnectedness and a clear roadmap for how we might thoughtfully approach our technological future. It urges us to focus on the continuity of process, to be precise in our language, and to extend our ethical circle ever wider as our understanding of consciousness deepens. - Andraž Đurič 16 January 2026