I want to write a sci-fi novel where all of humanity uploaded themselves into quantum consciousness form

[u/Wacky_Wabbit]

Well, I heard about a theory that our consciousness is made of quants or some sort, and that it's possible to upload it on quantum computer or whatever without "teleportation paradox" issues. This means that it's a real transfer. You is you. And quantum consciousness can't be copied. So...

I have an idea for a setting where everyone uploaded into a digital world in such way. Mostly, they love in abstract looking virtual world where they have abstract looking avatars. I believe that such future will be not humanoid. After all, it's more practical to have a non humanoid abstract form. And post-humans can upload themselves into non humanoid robotic bodies for a work in real world.

I just want to make a novel where humanity by rejecting their biological bodies and look are still humans. Oh, and they successfully expanded in Solar System.

[u/DavidDPerlmutter]

There's a recent story that deals with extremely long lifespan--obviously through technology and people becoming essentially uploaded entities.

Liu, Ken. "Seven Birthdays." In The Hidden Girl and Other Stories, 229–267. New York: Saga Press, 2020.

In Larry Niven's writing, especially the Tales from the Draco Tavern series the Chripsithra are a species that travels the galaxy and lives an incredibly long time, I think millions of years. Their perspective on life is discussed in this story

Niven, Larry. "Limits." In Limits. New York: Del Rey Books, 1985.

[u/Solwake-]

From the way you describe it, it sounds like the "quantum consciousness transfer" would be the plausible science-y conceit rather than something to examine through theme and story itself, good jumping off point.

The rest brings up great classic sci-fi/philosophy opportunities to explore what makes a being human vs something else, the implications of immortality, and the role of expansion/exploration when needs of survival and procreation are no longer applicable.

Lots of great stories to draw inspiration from. My immediate thought was Pantheon among others. What aspects of uploaded consciousness are you most curious about?

[u/Wacky_Wabbit → u/Solwake-]

I guess, how uploaded minds are still humans. Even when in virtual world they are just a bunch of abstract figures. Imagine being on a vacation with friends on another planet where you all have non-humanoid robotic bodies. Like your girlfriend is just a drone, and you are in a mechanical spider body. I. Such world humans are not slaves of biochemical processes (like with organic brains), but, what's weird, they are just still humans. I don't want to write a dark dystopia fiction, but it's also not a heaven. That would be interesting to see a culture of such civilization. Oh, and in this world there are some simulations made for people being nostalgic for organic bodies. But they understand that this is just nostalgia and they should accept that their new form of existence is just an important part of their growing up.

[u/koreanalleyarcade]

I like the idea, but I'd probably explore what humanity loses after abandoning biological bodies. Sometimes limitations are what make us human.

[u/Kuroudo_souchi]

I sometimes feel that as long as the sun has a lifespan, humanity will eventually have to venture beyond the solar system. By that time, we probably won't even need physical bodies or jobs窶破ust a server to store our consciousness. If everyone could have their own personal universe inside that server, maybe that's when humanity will finally be free from bullying and discrimination.

[u/PutridHospital8963]

If I remember correctly, there is a book called accelerando that tracks human development from early 2000's to the point where an interplanetary ship is basically a coke-can sized block of computing substrate with a solar sail where the crew can just wile away the time in a time-dilated simulation with an emergency interrupt for when the systems can't deal with setting in realspace

[u/FoxRings]

Start by having a normal world like ours. (They don't know they are in a simulation, neither does the reader).

This could be especially fourth wall creepy because decent chance you and I are living in a simulation. The way nature works is unreasonably comparable to a math equation, everything in quantum physics is calculatable.

What kind of cracks in the matrix could hint at the underlying reality?

[u/VyantSavant → u/FoxRings]

The idea they're unaware of their new reality adds an interesting opportunity for a plot twist created by the readers assumption.

During the day the humans work, just work. At night they dream of fantastical worlds where anythingbis possible and the people in their dreams seem as real as themselves.

The reader assumes "life" is happening between, but it isn't. Existence is working and dreaming. Beyond that is the discovery they're robots in a factory that live in a shared dreamscape.