[ExI] Time and Personal Identity

[Adrian Tymes]

On Wed, Apr 9, 2025 at 3:30 AM Ben Zaiboc via extropy-chat <
extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

> I can't help wondering if anyone has yet asked a chatbot how many angels
> can dance on the head of a pin.
>

https://claude.ai/ had this to say:

---

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin?

This is an old philosophical question often used to parody medieval
scholastic debates about metaphysics. It asks how many non-physical beings
(angels) could occupy a tiny physical space (the head of a pin).

The question doesn't have a definitive answer since it involves several
metaphysical assumptions:

That angels exist
That angels can "dance"
That angels occupy physical space in some way
Different theological and philosophical traditions would approach this
differently:

Some might argue angels are purely spiritual beings without physical
extension, so infinitely many could occupy any space
Others might suggest angels can take physical form temporarily, limiting
their number
Some might reject the premise entirely as meaningless
The question has become a metaphor for debating topics that are impossible
to resolve empirically or that have little practical significance. It's
often used to describe intellectual exercises that are abstract to the
point of being impractical.
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