>>12860345Gradual neuron replacement
Gradual neuron replacement occurs over a prolonged period of time, as the individual neurons of the sophont's mind are replaced one by one by functionally-equivalent devices. The brain continues to operate throughout the process, and if carried out correctly, the subject will experience no discontinuity as one’s brain slowly becomes replaced by electronic components.
Mind Shift
This one is more theoretical and depends on that the Integrated Information Theory or the 1000 Brains model of Consciousness proof correct. Utilizing external hardware and software connected directly and indirectly to the user's brain to allow a slow transfer of consciousness out of the biological substrate and into external databases. Imagine yourself getting additional brain matter but in digital form.
This could allow the user to "outsource" much of one's mentality and memory storage to external substrates which were separate from the sophont's own brain, until finally most of the sophont's thoughts, perceptions, memories, identity, etc. take place outside and away from the mass of grey matter the sophont initially came equipped with. The external hardware which gradually comes to hold more and more of the individual's personality is known as the exocortex, while the software which runs on this equipment is known as the Exoself. It could be possible to transfer bi-directionally most of a biont's extended consciousness by this method, since many of the most competent processes of intellect now occur outside the skull in the exocortex.
The problem would be that you would have to revist every singular part of your mind in a total manner, such a task can only be accomplished if you have total self-awareness (autosentience).
