Re: IDENTITY- What it means to be 'me'

From: John Clark (jonkc@worldnet.att.net)
Date: Sun Dec 02 2001 - 14:15:20 MST


Louis Newstrom <lnewstro@bellsouth.net> Wrote:

> Ok. Then I guess the real question is to identify what makes "you"
>so you can copy it.

Information, and I don't just mean memories although that's part of it.
A certainly sufficient (but probably not necessary) amount of information
would be the position and momentum of every atom in your body and
a identification of which of the 10 different sorts of atoms (elements)
was involved.

>>Me:
>>we both know a twin is not a copy.

> At the time the copy was made, it was. But you're right, in the present,
>we are not copies.

You and your twin were not copies even on the day you were born.
Two skyscrapers may have identical blueprints but blueprints are never
followed exactly, variances in construction will result in non trivial differences
in the product. I have identical twin sisters but I noticed big differences in
their personality even at a very young age.

          John K Clark jonkc@att.net



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