X-Message-Number: 14793
From: "Michael LaTorra" <>
Subject: Re: Why a Person is not a Thing
Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2000 14:37:43 -0700

Pat Clancy wrote:

>Well I've never been able to come up with a good resolution to this, but my
>interim feeling is that I wouldn't get into the Transporter, because the
non-
>destructive option shows that _thing_ that is _me_ is not the same as the
>thing that is the copy of me.
>However I strongly hope I'm wrong because I'd really like to think that
>uploading of consciousness and all that neat stuff is possible in theory.

Yes, I have the same hope you do that uploading would work. But I'm not
bothered by the kind of "Transporter-clone paradox" that bothers you. As far
as I am concerned, if a complete duplicate of me could be made, it would be
a faithful copy of my body and mind. The question "Which one is the real
me?" is unanswerable because, I believe, it is based on an incorrect
definition of "me-ness." I think they would BOTH be me at the instant of
replication, because I do not believe that there is any monadic, unitary,
irreproducible entity that constitutes "me." Like the Buddhists, I hold the
"anatta" or "no soul" idea.

So at the moment of copying by the Transporter, the two body-minds would
both be me. But in the very next moment (with "moment" defined as an instant
of experience) the original "me" and the replicant "me" would begin to
diverge, if ever so slightly. Over time, as we each went our own way, we
would diverge into increasingly distinct individuals.

Now I must admit that I do not find this to be undesirable. Why? Because I
would love to pursue different paths in life at the same time which could
only be accomplished by literally being two people. I presume that my
replicant self would have the same desire, at least initially. So he and I
would go our separate ways but stay in communication and meet periodically
to exchange thoughts and perhaps, if such recording technology exists then,
experiential memories and newly learned skills.

In the miracle stories of the world's religions there are reports of saints
"bi-locating" (being in two places at once). I put my hope in technology
that someday will make it possible for ordinary people on a daily basis to
have the kinds of powers that the religions attributed to a few
extraordinary individuals.

Regards,

Michael LaTorra


Member:
Extropy Institute: extropy.org
Alcor Life Extension Foundation: alcor.org
Society for Technical Communication: stc.org

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