>If you assume that your conscious experience is somehow arising from your neurons, then generating a set of those neurons that are genetically identical and cannot be distinguished in any way (except location in physical space, which is an ephemeral quality that doesn't appear to change neuron function), then we can assume we are creating, or will create, beings who are having conscious experience on some level.

I think that's a bad assumption. Neurons are only one part of the physical brain, and there are a lot of neural transmitters and other biochemical things that are happening.

That is not to downplay the ethical concerns at all. I agree completely with you there.