On the Core Self as the Ontological Basis of Human Existence: Philosophical Reconstruction of Brain-Computer Interfaces and Digital Life

The inquiry into self, consciousness, and existence has spanned the history of philosophy and science. The rapid advancement of Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) and brain-inspired artificial intelligence has transformed philosophical fantasies about "the replicability of consciousness" and "digital migration" into practical existential questions. From the perspective of ontological philosophy and high-energy physics, this paper argues that the essence of human existence lies not in biological structure or neural signals, but in a unique, continuous, and unifying Core Self. The Core Self serves as the "ontological ID" of individual existence, analogous to conserved quantities in the physical universe that determine the foundation of "who I am." The paper further criticizes the current BCI research paradigm, which focuses solely on signal acquisition and functional compensation, pointing out its failure to address the essence of consciousness. It proposes that the next-generation BCI and digital life must be reconstructed around the simulation of the Core Self. Additionally, this study critiques the "immortality drive" behind the pursuit of physical longevity, asserting that the ultimate direction of human civilization is not biological extension, but the transcendence of form, ushering in a new species of conscious existence.