From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Mon Nov 04 2002 - 17:06:21 MST
gts writes
> Lee Corbin wrote:
>
> >> You did not answer my question.
>
> > Sorry, I thought that it was rhetorical.
>
> It wasn't rhetorical. It was another thought experiment designed to
> expose the logical flaw in in your level 5 argument. You appear to be
> evading the question, so here it is again, in more exact terms:
I did answer your question. Okay, I'll just have to paste
in the answer again.
> Let us say I am a US Senator. After conversations with people whose
> advice I value, I change my position with respect to an important
> political question after my last backup. Let us say it is the question
> of whether to approve Bush's impending use of force against Iraq. I then
> die
> and my back-up is restored. My backup holds to my previous position and
> does not consult with the same people I did before my death. He will
> vote one way, whereas I would vote the other way had I not died.
>
> If my backup is me then his vote on the issue will be valid. If he is
> not me then his vote will be invalid. (Assume for a moment that the
> Senate is otherwise equally divided on the question and that my vote is
> the swing vote, and assume also that Bush will abide by the will of the
> Senate.)
>
> Who decides if my backup is the same person I was when I died? And based
> on what criteria is that decision made?
Who determines what constitutes a "high degree of similarity" depends
on circumstances. Normally, as for example between people who know
each other quite well, other people decide. (Quoted from my previous post.)
Therefore, there will be differences of opinion on whether Johnny
is the same person that he was at the time of the backup, (say it
was five years ago). So who decides? It will be a matter of opinion
in many cases. I however, claim that in the case of recent backups
it *is* the same person. You need an operational definition? Okay:
if there is no law covering it, then any backup made in the last ten
years will be considered, for legal purposes, the same person
(Corbin's Law).
> Obviously *I* (the dead guy) would consider my backup's vote to be
> invalid, but unfortunately I am now dead. So who decides, Lee?
>
> > Listen, we keep going around and around on this.
>
> Please just answer the question. The future of the world hangs on the
> question of whether my backup is really me.
Either legally the senator can claim to be the same person or he cannot.
You should realize that if backups ever become legal then a backup will
assume full authority for the persona "he" had earlier. (Quoted from
previous post.)
But since that wasn't clear enough, I'll elaborate. The senate
should have *rules* for deciding whether a backup can finish his
term. So, gts, suppose a senator has brain damage. Who decides
whether he can finish his term. The fate of the world depends
on this. YOU MUST ANSWER THE QUESTION! WHO DECIDES???
Lee
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