On Tue, Feb 19, 2013 at 4:02 PM, Quentin Anciaux <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > 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. > Causality links many things to you, and you to many things, which you wouldn't normally associate with yourself. I don't think causality alone can serve as a theory of personal identity. A theory of personal identity needs to define the boundaries of a person, and answer questions such as which experiences can be ascribed to a given person. You could trace causality backwards and find that the big bang caused you, but that doesn't mean you are the big bang. Likewise, you could make a fancy dinner (which you caused) but the fancy dinner is not you. I think causally linked might be a requirement but by itself it is too general to delineate an individual. 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.
