Share
Copy

Upload
Image from Steve Bowers

A copy is a high-fidelity reproduction of an original sophont individual (whether biont, aioid or vec), which experiences themself in all ways as identical to the original individual. Bionts which are copied need to be uploaded from the biological state into a data form known as an infomorph or virtual sophont; many virtual sophonts remain in that state permanently, and in fact the vast majority of sophonts in the Terragen Sphere are virtual in nature.

Some uploads, however, choose to be downloaded into a new body via engeneration, often into a new biological body with all the same genetic information and structure as the original (such biological copies are sometimes known as xoxes). The process of downloading into a xox body is quite slow, so many copies choose to be downloaded into a general purpose temporary robotic body which is modified to resemble the original in as much detail as necessary.

In the Current Era many sophonts choose to be downloaded into bodies which are radically different to their previous form, and in many cases these new bodies are designed to be capable of thriving in an entirely different environment. Usually a person who is copied into a radically different bodymorph requires comprehensive neural reconstruction in order to be able to control the new form, and to interpret the data from their new sensorium.

Aioids and vecs are usually easier to copy than biont sophont entities, since vecs and aioids are typically datamorphic in nature already. A few vecs and aioids such as the Polarizers deliberately use quantum-level information to make complete copying impossible because of the no-cloning theorem, but it is still possible for classical copies to be made of such individuals.

Forks

The term Fork is generally a synonym for copy, but in colloquial use it tends to indicate that the two instances of the individual which has been copied will now diverge into two separate and distinct entities (known as instances). Once a sophont has been copied, the two separate instances of that person will have separate experiences and develop new memories, and gradually their personality and skill set will change. Eventually the two instances will become increasingly different from each other, unless they are artificially linked in some way (see below). In some cases a population of copies may become so diverse that it divides into factions, and this may lead to conflicts (for example the House Holsta Copy War)

If the forks adopt different bodytypes at some point and accept the appropriate neuropsychological modifications then they may develop into radically different instances with very little in common.

Not all copied individuals become such widely differentiated entities, however. Quite often the original entity (the alpha) will decide to merge back with their copy or copies to become a single individual again. Other copies remain closely associated with their original, and may form a group mind linked via direct neural interfacing (such a group mind is known as a Copy Group, and most such groups are remarkably self-similar, since they are all aspects of a single original). Other copies become a larger, extended group known as a dividual, and may take the form of a hive mind or tribe mind.

Copy Resolution Types

Not all copies are high resolution reproductions- apart from the alpha copy or original entity, the most accurate copies created by uploading, engeneration or infomorph duplication are known as beta copies. Less accurate copies are created by indirect methods such as observation or historical recordings, and are known as gamma copies. More information here.
 
Related Articles
 
Appears in Topics
Daily LifeOrganic/BiotechVirtual/Infotech
Virtuals
 
Development Notes
Text by M. Alan Kazlev
Updated 2024 to include the concept of 'fork'.
Initially published on 24 September 2001.

Fiction featuring Copies

On the Boat
 
 
>