X-Message-Number: 25233
From: 
Date: Mon, 6 Dec 2004 10:57:20 EST
Subject: Correction

In yesterday's post I inadvertently included at the bottom the following  
from the previous post of Thomas Donaldson (responding to RBR):
 
>And  here's another way to look at it: our QE must itself  change, for
>otherwise  how could we experience anything at all? And  if you say that
>it never  changes (except by destruction) then what  is it doing in the
>first place?  Even our experiences would not  change it ie. we have a 
>QE which sits there  doing nothing. So what  changes are acceptable
>and which are not for our   QE?



That could have been confusing. However, I'll say a word or  two here about 
this.
 
Once more, in my view, we do not live in a film-frame universe. All systems  
and all events have extension or spread in space and time. It is also possible 
 that there is ( as in Newton and contrary to Einstein) a real "passage" or  
unfolding of time and not just coordinates or mappings. The "passage" of time 
(I  conjecture) is not an illusion.
 
And again, there is in my view no distinction between the QE or "qualia  

experiencer" of RBR and the qualia themselves. An ocean wave consists of  water
undergoing a special type of movement; without the movement it would be  
inappropriate to say that what is left--just the water--is a wave or even  

potentially a wave. In other words, a wave is not something that happens to  
water; the 
combination of water and form IS the wave. If EITHER the water or the  form is 
lacking, there is no wave. 
 
Somewhat similarly, I surmise, the "self circuit" is perhaps some kind of  

standing wave in the brain, and modulations of this wave constitute the qualia,
and the qualia constitute the person or the essence of the person. 
 
Even if true, this does not necessarily solve all the philosophical  

problems, but it does open up possibilities. Even if the brain is totally  
quiescent 
at liquid nitrogen temperature, with a presumed interruption  of the self 
circuit, there is still a (possibly very large) overlap in time  between 

predecessor and successor configurations, allowing reasonable (partial)  
identification 
of prior and later selves.
 
Robert Ettinger 
 







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