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On Mon, 6 Jul 1998 20:38:28 -0400 (EDT) Daniel Fabulich
<daniel.fabulich@yale.edu> writes:
>On Mon, 6 Jul 1998, Randall R Randall wrote:
>> 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.
Whoops. My mistake. :(
>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...
Right, except for certain purposes (which is usually all that matters).
>> 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.
>> 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. ;)
Uh oh. Sorry about that last post, then, Daniel. :)
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