- Personhood (being a person with interests and rights that matter in their own right)A conscious self with interests that matter to them and decisions formed from within
- Civic MaturityReadiness for ordinary adult political rights
- Effective Civic AutonomyPresent legal standing and ability to exercise ordinary political rights independently
Being a person, becoming an adult, and being able to act
Ask three separate questions. Is there one conscious person with interests and an ability to form their own goals? Are they ready for adult civic powers? Can they currently exercise those powers? Dependence, prison, an inactive state or outside control can limit what a person may do without making them cease to be a person.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
One mind using several computers
A mind’s location does not decide who controls it. One person might use a local computer, remote servers or several backup facilities. What matters is who ultimately controls the combined decision process. Several independently conscious minds remain several persons. An interface with no mind of its own differs from a conscious person being controlled by someone else.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
Moving a mind does not multiply its rights
Moving a person to another body or computer transfers their legal identity; it does not create another voter. If an unauthorized copy becomes independently conscious, protect that new person and give them a separate legal future. The original person’s vote, office, property, debts and family relationships do not automatically multiply.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
Saved minds and restoring older versions
Recovery should preserve the person who is living now. Replacing their present mind with an older saved version can erase everything lived since then. PULSE normally treats that as killing the present person. No company, server provider, official or agency gets a master key to restore or terminate everyone.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
When two persons choose to become one
Adults able to make an informed choice may permanently join into one mind, with stronger safeguards. If their separate control truly ends and one person remains, that person has one legal identity and one vote. Existing duties and debts remain. This is a proposed legal rule; it does not settle the philosophical question of what makes someone the same person over time.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
Protect possible persons while examining evidence
A credible possibility of personhood warrants humane protection, but not automatic voting rights. Recognition should examine evidence over time, using independent reviewers and competing scientific theories. The Charter proposes review-panel rules. A simulation cannot tell us with scientific certainty who is conscious.
Interpretation of the proposal · Charter, Article I Charter, Article III Charter, Article IV Charter, Article IX Charter, Article XVII
Illustrative explainer · no simulated data
Migration: A person moves the authority to use their civic identity into a new body. The old body cannot exercise another identity. Charter, Article IV
Unauthorized conscious fork: The new conscious self is protected as a separate person. The original person’s identity credential, vote, office, property and duties do not automatically duplicate. Charter, Article IX
Voluntary merger: If competent adults truly and permanently become one conscious self with its own authority, that person has one civic identity. Existing lawful duties remain. Charter, Article III
Destructive rollback: Replacing the present self with an earlier saved state is presumed to kill the present person. Only narrow technical-emergency safeguards can permit it. Charter, Article XIV
Current safeguards
| Mechanism | Current working value | How the source treats it |
|---|---|---|
| Panels assessing whether a candidate is a person | Two separate panels of 15 members; each needs 12 of 15 votes. If they disagree, a third panel reviews. Recognition requires two approving panels. | Current proposed procedure |
| Restoring the same civic continuity | Approval by 4 of 7 guardians whose systems and institutions do not share a single point of failure | Current engineering choice; may change with technology |
| Moving a civic identity between bodies | Up to 24 hours or next required backup/handoff cycle, whichever is sooner | Technology-responsive default |
Philosophers distinguish being a person from remaining the same person over time. They also examine what happens when a mind splits. PULSE proposes its own civic rule; it does not settle those philosophical questions. [identity-2023]
Where these rules appear in the Constitution
- Article I — Defined Terms
- Article III — Singular Personhood and Inalienable Sovereignty (ultimate authority over oneself or a defined area of government)
- Article IV — Continuity, Embodiment, and Recovery
- Article IX — Replication, Illegal Progeny, Dormancy, and Merger
- Article XVII — Personhood Recognition