2013/2/19 Jason Resch <[email protected]> > > > On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 3:39 PM, meekerdb <[email protected]> wrote: > >> On 2/18/2013 10:49 PM, Jason Resch wrote: >> >> 6. Swapping places with someone: In 5 seconds, your mind and >> consciousness will swap with that of some rich and famous person. Let's >> say Bill Gates. I hope you are ready. 5. 4. 3. 2. 1. The swap is >> complete. Bill Gates is now in your body, with access to your memories and >> living as you were just before you got to reading this sentence, while you >> are living as a billionaire and enjoying Bills bank account. Of course, >> while you are in his body you only have access to his memories. Not only >> does his wife not notice the switch, but you don't even notice it. You >> only have access to Bill's memories now so you do not realize anything is >> awry. Don't worry, everything will be set back how it was, in 3. 2. 1. >> Welcome back. How was it? Of course, you don't remember. Fortunately, Bill >> was nice enough to read the last few sentences for you and now they have >> been placed into your memory. This shows it is meaningless to say "I wish >> I could live as X", or "experience a day in Y's shoes". For all you know, >> you already are, have, and will. >> >> >> This, if true, only shows that "you" and "Bill Gates" don't exist apart >> from your bodies and memories, so that it is nonsense to talk of exchanging >> bodies and memories. >> > > We agree it is nonsense. > > >> For it to make sense there would have to be a "you" soul and a "Bill >> Gates" soul that switched. >> > > Okay, if no soul involved, then by what means can we talk of you at T1 and > you at T2, when the two are different in terms of memories and material? >
Causality ? The you at T1 and the you at T2 are causally linked. Quentin > > There is a problem with any theories of personal identity two individuals > at two different times. Inevitably it comes down to some arbitrary measure > of similarity. There are two alternatives, no-self theories of personal > identity, in which you are nothing but a single observer moment, and > universalism, which identifies you with every conscious entity. > Universalism is a simpler theory that explains more, in that it can answer > why you are experiencing the moment you are in now vs. none at all or some > other observer moment. No-self theories, taken seriously, seem > incompatible with the scientific method, as if you are trapped in a single > OM forever, you cannot perform any experiments, or test predictions. > > Jason > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "Everything List" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. > Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out. > > > -- All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Everything List" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/everything-list?hl=en. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
