X-Message-Number: 8046
From:  (Mike C.)
Subject: Who Is Who? (Re: What Am I?)
Date: Sat, 12 Apr 1997 02:27:27 -0400

>Message #7979
>Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 22:04:44 -0800 (PST)
>From: John K Clark <>
>Subject: What am I?-
>
>I need some advice and it's not the sort of thing I can write to Ann Landers. 
>About a year ago I started building a matter duplicating machine. It could  
>find the position and velocity of every atom in a human being to the limit 
>imposed by Heisenberg's law. It then used this information to construct a 
>copy, and it does it all in a fraction of a second and without harming the  
>original in any way. You may be surprised that I was able to build such a  
>complicated machine, but you wouldn't be if you knew how good I am with my 
>hands. The birdhouse I made is simply lovely  and I have all the latest tools 
>from Sears.
>
>I was a little nervous but I decided to test the machine by duplicating 
>myself. The day before yesterday I walked into the chamber, it filled with 
>smoke (damn those radio shack transformers) there was a flash of light, 
>and then 3 feet to my left was a man who looked exactly like me. It was at 
>that instant that the full realization of the terrible thing I did hit me. 
>I yelled " This is monstrous, there can only be one of me", my double yelled 
>exactly the same thing. I thought he was trying to mock me, so I reached for 
>my 44 magnum that I always carry with me (I wonder why people think I'm 
>strange) and pointed it at him. I noted with alarm that my double also
>had a gun and he was pointed it at me. I shouted "you don't have the guts to 
>pull the trigger, but I do". Again he mimicked my words and did so in perfect 
>synchronization, this made me even more angry and I pulled the trigger, 
>he did too. My gun went off but his gun jammed. I buried him in my back yard.
>
>Now that my anger has cooled and I can think more clearly I've had some pangs 
>of conscious about killing a living creature, but that's not what really 
>torments me. How do I know I'm not the copy? I feel exactly  the same as 
>before, but would a copy feel different? Actually there is a way to be 
>certain, I have a video tape of the entire experiment. My memory is that the 
>copy first appeared 3 feet to my LEFT, if the tape shows the original walking 
>into the chamber and the copy materializing 3 feet to his RIGHT, then I would 
>know that I am the copy. 
>
>I'm afraid to look at the tape, should I be?

No.

>
>If I found out I was the copy what should I do? 

Live and be you.

>
>I suppose I should morn the death of John Clark, but how  
>can I, I'm not dead.

If you killed John Clark he is dead.
What is your name?

>
>If I am the copy would that mean that I have no real  
>past and my life is meaningless?

You were born when you were formed and then you lived.
That is your history.
Your memories are not always your past.

>
>Is it important, or should I just burn the  
>tape and forget all about it?

It is not important to me.
Is it important to you?
It may be important if you find out the copy was not Perfect.

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