[extropy-chat] identity and copies, yet again

Jef Allbright jef at jefallbright.net
Fri Sep 17 16:36:08 UTC 2004


Damien Broderick wrote:

> At 07:39 AM 9/17/2004 -0700, Jef wrote:
>
>> Let's set aside the technical/philosophical aspects for a moment.  
>> How would it feel to *find out* that you are the copy?  How would it 
>> feel to *be* the copy?  Why?
>
>
> I can't credit how often this comes up as if it were an objection to 
> someone's wish to continue existing.
>
> Obviously a nearly-exact copy would *feel*, from inside, just like you 
> do now.
>
> The copy would also serve everyone else's needs as well as the 
> original did.
>
> None of that has the slightest bearing on whether the original should 
> be complicit, indeed happy, in its own termination.
>
Damien -

You and I appear to be in complete agreement.  My goal in these 
discussions is to help raise awareness that there is no logical or 
physical objection to the concept of multiple copies, but only the very 
real fact that we living organisms have a strong built-in aversion to 
what looks like death.

- Jef



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