From: Daniel Fabulich (daniel.fabulich@yale.edu)
Date: Mon Jul 06 1998 - 18:38:28 MDT
On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Randall R Randall wrote:
> This is what I disagree with. *This* R^3 *may have*
> had a last thought. This reminds me of my geometry
> classes in the eighties. If you have a triangle on the
> paper in front of you, you can create a triangle with
> all of the same measurements, as exactly as you'd
> like. This triangle is *similar* to the original, but since
> we can see the original beside it, it is clear that they
> are not the same triangle. They differ only in location,
> but they do differ.
No, no no! That triangle is more than just similar; it is CONGRUENT. An
important distinction, since similar triangles may differ greatly in size.
Also important because I think it would not be at all unreasonable to say
that two congruent triangles are two identical instances of the same
triangle; think object-oriented if you will.
Again, without some theory like this, you can never have two of ANYTHING
which are the same; the word "same" is utterly meaningless in this
context. On some level, this argument is saying that no two of anything
are the same, so clearly no two CDs are the same, no two instances of a
consciousness are the same, no two triangles are the same...
>
> BTW, what if it becomes possible to copy all
> of a person's memories and insert them in
> other people? Does this mean that the person
> who created the memories is effectively
> immortal? Can he shoot himself without dying?
>
I think yes.
> >I probably haven't convinced you but I'll bet I could have if only you'd
> seen
> >my original message, it was great and would have really knocked your
> >socks off but unfortunately you'll just have to settle for a copy.
>
> Aw, shucks. :)
> BTW, this is an excellent reason (IMO, of course)
> to disapprove of "intellectual property", which I do,
> for the same reasons that I want *this* copy of me
> to survive.
After arguing this point for a month, I don't want to hear about this
again for at LEAST another six. ;)
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