Such a project might do some good by enhancing our understanding of various forms of mental illness and other disease patterns, of the type that might plausibly be investigated as functional brain disorders. I would not personally fear or oppose this, as long as the brain is not given a body or any other human- or animal-like interaction capabilities. But of course that will be done too. The appeal of the golem, the android or Frankenstein’s constructed man will be too strong for us. Collectively, we weak, easily temptable humans can and will resist nothing, despite concerns that the brain simulation would develop autonomy, acquire money, and eventually control weapons.

This also raises the fear of cruelty to, for or by the brain machine. Can a human be cruel to a machine? Can a brain simulation feel some sort of urge to be cruel to humans or other living things?

My other worry — again almost a certainty — is that the world’s military powers will find reasons and methods aimed at somehow using such a simulation as part of a weapon of war. Every new technology is so employed. That inevitable course leads right back to providing the brain with some kind of body, weapons and even control of money (as, say, a secret agent).

Of course it does not matter whether I or anyone else fears such an undertaking. Our present life-and-death connection with technological objects means that this, or a similar project, will eventually succeed in building some kind of brain, which will then be employed in some good ways as well as in many harmful harmful ways. If things continue as they are — in terms of our rate of energy-using growth — such developments become inevitable.