Fiction? 1234567890

Help Wanted:

Judge of the underworld

um, we kinda got ourselves in a fix. We have been giving people the ultimate VR experience by linking their minds to AI-driven counterparts in VR. The problem is that people have a tendency to die but their avatars don’t. Sometimes long-time users of our products have been connected to their counterparts long enough that it is fair to say that the avatar retains part of their consciousness. That’s where you come in. We need someone to apply common sense and decent standards to decide which of these “souls” are worthy to receive a newly manufactured body. Right now most of them hang out in a crypt simulation that not even our programmers are allowed to enter. So we don’t really know what’s going on. But we need someone who can look at each case as an investigator and without prejudice to decide which of these can be recovered as individuals and are worthy of reincarnation.

The usual approach to that is to determine the “worth” of an individual by the worth of his possessions. I guess that’s a problematic approach, but what’s the alternative when resources are actually scarce? How do you determine a “worth score” of a person? Is this what this thread is actually about?

If resources are abundant, then “worth” is not relevant, because everyone can get a newly manufactured body. That’s the preferable outcome for the future.

Okay…

Suicide -> No.

Griefer in the game -> NO!!!

Died in a gunfight with the cops and was probably guilty -> NO .

Died young due to some tragic disease -> Yes.

Died after a long and virtuous life -> Yes.

Had a good reputation on-line -> Yes.

Has some serious problem that can’t be fixed by tuning a pot with a screwdriver: -> probably not.
For example, sociopathy can probably be cured, yes you will get your new body but from now on you are going to care about people. While there are several theories as to the genesis of a triggly puff, relating to parenting or lack-thereof, if there isn’t something that can be repaired then there really isn’t any reason to bring such a diseased creature back.

Why do we have discussions like this in the context of granting people/AIs bodies, but not when it comes to the allocation of organs for patients? Aren’t both situations basically the same? Or is a physical body for an AI/upload merely seen as luxury item, rather than as basic necessity for living a good life?

I am not aware of any kind of system that measures the “worth” of a person, or the value she has for society, when it comes to the allocation of organs. Should we have such a system? Would it be fairer than a system that only considers the severity of the medical condition and waiting times?