[ExI] essentialism and/or continuity.

John Clark jonkc at bellsouth.net
Wed May 26 05:47:27 UTC 2010


On May 22, 2010, at 2:26 PM, Damien Broderick wrote:

> If it turns out that there *is* something like a "soul" that flits from body to body and that comprises the core of continuing identity, I'd probably change my opinion. 


Actually there *is* something like a soul, it's not identical but information is as close as you can get to the traditional concept of the soul and still remain within the scientific method. Consider the similarities:

The soul is non material and so is information. It's difficult to pin down a unique physical location for the soul, and the same is true for information. The soul is the essential, must have, part of consciousness, exactly the same situation is true for information. The soul is immortal and so, potentially, is information.                
But there are also important differences too:

A soul is unique but information can be duplicated. The soul is and will always remain unfathomable, but information is understandable, in fact, information is the ONLY thing that is understandable. Information unambiguously exists, I don't think anyone would deny that, but if the soul exists it will never be proven scientifically. 

  John K Clark
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