[extropy-chat] How to be copied into the future?

[Stathis Papaioannou]

On 4/29/07, Jef Allbright <jef at jefallbright.net> wrote:

The opposition argue in functional terms that to the extent a
> difference makes no difference, it is no difference.  However, they
> continue to state this as if "differences" can be completely
> objective.


If I-now think I've survived as a continuation of I-before, then that's what
matters in survival. Is that objective or subjective?

Both sides appear to be utterly blind to the necessity of an observer
> function, to any discussion of meaning.
>
> If this debate ever develops from "what is personal identity" to "what
> do we mean by person identity" then it might get interesting.


"What is personal identity" doesn't have a clear answer; the best I can come
up with in an attempt to be clear and consistent is to say that there is no
objective self persisting through time, but that this is a construct from
separate moments of observerhood, which usually but by no means necessarily
originate in a single brain. "What do we mean by personal identity" is best
answered by asking what matters in survival, as above.

Stathis Papaioannou
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