Marvin Minsky on religious experience
Like many AI practitioners, Minsky predicts that computers will someday evolve far beyond humans, who are nothing but “dressed-up chimpanzees.” Humans may be able to “download” their personalities into computers and thereby become smarter and more reliable. This trick may yield infinite life, among other perks. Minsky envisions making copies of himself that could undergo experiences he would otherwise shun. “I regard religious experience as very risky, because it can destroy your brain. But if I had a backup copy -”
from Marvin L. Minsky: The Mastermind of Artificial Intelligence by John Horgan, collected in Understanding Artificial Intelligence.