From: Chris Russo (extropy@russo.org)
Date: Wed Dec 06 2000 - 16:32:28 MST
At 15:32 -0800 12/6/00, Nicq MacDonald wrote:
> > My conclusion is this:
>>
>> There's no logical reason to believe that there's a substantive
>> difference between me and my just-restored backup.
>
>There is a substantive difference- the difference is as great as between two
>identical twins- exact copies of each other at one point in time, but
>branching off to lead two separate existences.
How is this an appropriate analogy. Sure, twins are (theoretically)
identical when they're both single cells, but once they start to
develop and even before their little neurons start firing, they're
very different entities. The discussion was about having an *exact*
duplicate standing by, ready to be restored from some backup of your
thoughts and memories.
> > There is a subjective sentimentality issue with which I can
>> empathize. I'm sure that the love and continuity of what we view as
>> our own bodies and minds are deeply rooted in our evolutionary past.
>
>It's not "sentimentality", it's a truth of perspective.
"truth" and "perspective" have so many meanings. I'm sure I could
pick some that I liked just to make a point, but I'd rather know more
about why you used them. Could you elaborate on the distinction
you're trying to draw above?
> > Instead, I've seen only the use of equivocation for words like
>> "consciousness" and "continuity" in some hopeless effort at
>> maintaining a logical argument.
>
>It's the semantics that blow the argument apart-
Which argument? Yours or mine? Could you give any examples?
> I'd suggest trying to
>remember your own existence from time to time.
I do and I feel strongly about maintaining its continuity. In what
way am I forgetting my existence?
>If I had a better vocabulary
>and more experience in logic, I could argue this point better.
Well, please continue to try. I feel fairly comfortable with the
soundness of the conclusions that I've reached so far, but if you
come up with a real distinction between you and a just-restored
backup, I'd be interested in learning about it. The quote in my sig
is there because I think that it's good policy and I try to live it.
Regards,
Chris Russo
--
"If anyone can show me, and prove to me, that I am wrong in thought
or deed, I will gladly change. I seek the truth, which never yet
hurt anybody. It is only persistence in self-delusion and ignorance
which does harm."
-- Marcus Aurelius, MEDITATIONS, VI, 21
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