From: Bryan Moss (bryan.moss@dial.pipex.com)
Date: Mon May 08 2000 - 09:21:31 MDT
Replicant00@aol.com wrote:
> What I want to know is the explanation for wanting to have
> an opinion on killing a copy of one's self.
The copy question is to transhumanism as black holes are to
theoretical physics. It's an extreme. Its only immediate
value is to provide us with clues about important subjects
like identity - for instance, "how different is different?"
Transhumanism is *about* the malleability of identity, so
this is not a topic we can or should ignore. Further more,
the copy question, and therefore your concepts of self and
identity, can lead to insight in other areas of philosophy.
And, if you accept the redundancy of your copy now, you'll
get a free clock radio.
[We often talk about there being "borganist" transhumanists
and "individualist" transhumanists. I personally think a
better split, if we have to have one, is on the question of
identity. I'm thinking "continualist" for those flaky,
"sanctity of the original" types, but I don't have a name
for the other side of this coin (the first person to say
"murderers" receives their merit badge for superior wit).]
BM
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