From: Reason (reason@exratio.com)
Date: Fri Nov 30 2001 - 19:03:07 MST
Ok, since I haven't been on the list long enough to see the last of these,
how about I wade in with a quick question here. [Disclaimer: I'm firmly on
the continuity side of the track for reasons of existential safety.]
Thought Experiment:
Case 1:
1) All info on you that is necessary to make an absolutely perfect copy is
stored; same internal state in your finite state machine self. This process
happens at point A.
2) Said info is shipped to point B.
3) A duplicate of you at that point in time is created at point B.
4) Steps 1-3 happen in a smaller amount of time than it takes your internal
state to change.
5) There are now two of you. What does the identity theory say about this?
Case 2:
1) All info on you that is necessary to make an absolutely perfect copy is
stored; same internal state in your finite state machine self. This process
happens at point A.
2) Said info is shipped to point B.
3) A duplicate of you at that point in time is created at point B.
4) Steps 1-3 happen in a smaller amount of time than it takes your internal
state to change.
5) The original you is now destroyed.
5) There is now one of you after a short interval of there having been two
of you. Is it still you?
Case 3:
1) All info on you that is necessary to make an absolutely perfect copy is
stored; same internal state in your finite state machine self. This process
happens at point A.
2) You are destroyed.
3) Said info is shipped to point B.
4) Arbitary time delay occurs.
5) A duplicate of you at that earlier point in time is created at point B.
6) There is now one of you after some interval of there having been none of
you. Is it still you?
Comments, thoughts, cogent analysis?
Reason
http://www.exratio.com/
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