On 5/15/2014 9:29 PM, LizR wrote:
On 16 May 2014 15:32, meekerdb <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote:On 5/15/2014 6:06 PM, LizR wrote:On 16 May 2014 13:02, Russell Standish <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: On Fri, May 16, 2014 at 12:10:20PM +1200, LizR wrote: > > I don't think we replace our brain cells, but even if we do, isn't the fact > > that they are replaced and the replacements are functionally similar > > important to who we are? > > > > We do, apparently. > http://www.theguardian.com/science/neurophilosophy/2012/feb/23/brain-new-cells-adult-neurogenesis > > (I know I could do with some new ones ... or do I mean "neurones" ?) > I think that is more about brain repair, than material replacement in cells, and only involves a few percent of neurons. It turns out the carbon atoms in the DNA of neural cells is remarkable long lived, as chronicled via the radiation spike due to atmospheric nuclear weapons testing in 50s & 60s. I don't have a cite on hand, but the result is that your neuronal DNA is on average about two years younger than your own age. For most other cell types, the average age is around 7 years, or something like that. So physical continuity may be important, in which case it's possible "yes doctor" is a bad bet.It's all relative. If the alternative is dying of liver cancer it might still be a good bet. If physical continuity is important, these aren't alternatives.
I think you're taking an all-or-nothing view. Originally it was stated that physical continuity could make no difference - in support of the theory that everybody is the same person. I argued that commons sense says that it does make a difference, and law and society agree. But making a difference and "being important" may be poles apart. Suppose saying yes to the doctor would cause you to lose all recent memories (which is certainly a plausible effect) because of lack of physical continuity of part of your brain. It would be "important", but it would still be a better bet than dying of liver cancer.
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