I’ve just read the following paper :
http://istvanaranyosi.net/resources/Should%20we%20fear%20qt%20final.pdf which argues that it is possible to avoid the descent into decrepitude that seems to follow from the quantum theory of immortality (QTI). Aranyosi argues that this is plausible on the grounds that any death branch would be preceded by an unconsciousness branch. Under normal QTI circumstances, if we were Schrödinger’s cat we would come across the (3p) node (L= Lives, D= Dies): DDDDDD LLLLLLL LLLLLLL To see the cat’s (1p), view we discard the DDDD branch, but we will more than likely be harmed at each branch and therefore become more decrepit. If I understand it correctly, and keeping things simple, Aranyosi seems to be arguing that, by assuming that unconsciousness precedes a death branch, then for 3p we have two types of branching: (where C=Conscious, U = unconscious). First a triple branch: D DDDX UUUUU..UUUUUUUUUU C CCCCCCC And also a double branch: CCCCCCCC CCCCC UUUUUUU Any combinations of these can be put together by matching U’s or C’s to make a tree. A 1p subjective experience comes by discarding all branches that have death D preceded by U. Hence the first type of diagram would never be experienced and the cat sees only the C to C/U branching. You can join two of the second type of diagram – a CUC route simply being sleep or fainting or anaesthetic etc. I would argue though that U can still occur if one suffers significant physical damage and hence decrepitude still follows? -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected]. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en.
