Elon Musk's Neuralink Demonstration and Consciousness

I would say a person's focus should be on their actual goal.

There are no knock out philosophical arguments for personal survival, as there are plenty of non-physicalists who don't believe in it.

So worrying about whether physicalism is true is just a distraction for the person [desperately] concerned with survival of the personal self.

Thought this might be relevant to leave here (from 2020):

I was aware that the demonstration got quite a lot of criticism (as being largely disappointing, awkward and speculative) but I'm interested in thoughts on this 'update'.

The latest on Musk, he now claims a monkey has the implant, and he wants to start human trials by the end of this year: https://www.ladbible.com/news/latest-elo...=instagram

I'm aware the reputation of this news site is abysmal when it comes to credibility, but whatever:

The start-up's head neurosurgeon Matthew MacDougall spoke at a presentation last year to say the company has so far only implanted the chip into the brain's cortical surface. 

This reflects an earlier statement in which Musk said the device could be used to retrain the part of the brain responsible for causing addiction, depression or anxiety.

In his most recent display of the device's efficacy, the Tesla founder revealed he had implanted the chip into the brain of a monkey.

"We've already got a monkey with a wireless implant in their skull, and the tiny wires, who can play video games using his mind," Musk said in an interview on the Good Time Show.

I maintain my position - when Musk installs it in his own brain I'll start to read about whether there's anything there.

Well skimming through his Twitter, and apparently they're still looking for assistance. He now wants to 'extend consciousness/life beyond Earth'...by merging humans with AI...even though he used to constantly warn about AI as some imminent threat...but this will somehow stop that? 

He says that's his 'long-term goal' with Neuralink. No mention of anything said in that awkward pig presentation.

Recently the extraordinary claims about what Neuralink could open the door to were replaced with cold silence beyond a demonstration that neuroscientists say it's nothing new.

Recently the extraordinary claims about what Neuralink could open the door to were replaced with cold silence beyond a demonstration that neuroscientists say it's nothing new.

The more recent news about Neuralink seems to be potential legal action due to animal cruelty.

Suffering for the sake of one man's ego to accomplish little to nothing.