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

[Lee Corbin]

Robert writes

On 4/27/07, Lee Corbin <lcorbin at rawbw.com> wrote:

> [someone wrote]
> > > in the same way that two copies of _The Spike_ are
> > > often said loosely [sic] to be the "same book". 
> >
> > Loosely?  That *is* the common way of speaking, and
> > if I say that my fiancee and I found upon meeting that
> > we had read the same book, no one would suppose
> > that we merely read the same particular copy.
> 
> God Lee, Damien didn't tell you... Due to publisher funding
> restrictions,  Damien only had half a million monkeys to
> assemble the pages -- he authored the words but the
> paragraph and page assembly was done under contract.

But if the content is the same, surely the book "really is" the
same book.  I mean, Damien will sue the bejesus out of
anyone else's name on his books, even if the paragraphing
is redone a bit badly.  www.bejesus.com

> They had to have a bunch of gamestations pick up the slack. 
> So I am not so sure that you two may have read the same
> book.  They could have been quite different books but given
> enough similar impressions and you could have manufactured
> a *belief* that you read the same book.But you did not verify it.

The *whole* question REALLY DOES hinge on how *similar*
are the two books!  You haven't really said explicitly enough for
me whether or not a sensible Judge---upon reading both books
---will with his common sense decree that they're the same book.
It sounds as though they are. 

When I am uploaded, it'll be me iff the similarity is sufficient.
If the "paragraphing" is done a bit differently---maybe some
neural equivalent tracks are replaced by virtual connections
that are more efficient, it simply does not matter.  What 
matters is if I act rather indistinguishably from the old Lee
Corbin.  You will even be able to tell by talking to me, and
also getting testimony from all the people who know me.
I'll settle even for that, (since I think that no mortal actor,
however skilled, could really imitate me sufficient well to
fool my friends and relatives).

Lee