X-Message-Number: 14301
From: "George Smith" <>
References: <>
Subject: A quick opinion on the identity issue
Date: Sat, 12 Aug 2000 11:21:12 -0700

I can't go back to yesterday to check if the guy I REMEMBER to be "me" was
REALLY me ot not.

If I was assembled as a clever robotic "fake" of George Smith this morning,
I would only have the memories of "being" that George Smith of flesh and
blood who was walking around yesterday.

Right now I have no more way of knowing if I am the "me" of yesterday with
continuity of flesh and/or memories and/or whatever else, than I have a way
of knowing if you cloned my body right now and somehow copied my memories
into that clone tomorrow whether that is "really" me or not or whatever..

Even worse, I really have no way to know even if my duplicate IS conscious
as I seem to be right now.  (Takes a sip of cofee to better insure the
accuracy of the last statement).

I felt all of these paradoxes and arguments were handled extremely well in
Robert Ettinger's two books (both available online through
http://www.cryonics.org) MAN INTO SUPERMAN and THE PROSPECT OF IMMORTALITY.

I would suggest to anyone not thoroughly familiar with these works to go and
do so.

Well written.  Still timely.  Still paradoxical. Nothing new since then I am
aware of.

George Smith
"Quivis est, contradictio!"

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