Stathis Papaioannou wrote:
Mark Peaty writes:
SP: 'Getting back to the original question about teleportation
experiments, are you saying that it would be impossible, or just
technically very difficult to preserve personal identity whilst
undergoing such a process? As Brent pointed out, technical difficulty
is not an issue in thought experiments. ,
MP: I have answered this, in responding to Brent. In summary I say: if
it is just A [any old] rendition of a human you want, then given that
thought experiments allow that all practical challenges can be
overcome, the answer is Yes! On the other hand if the strict
requirement of an exact copy of a particular person is required to be
output then it becomes a question of whether or not truly infinite
computing power is required to calculate the changes occurring within
the original at scan time. If it is then the answer is NO, because
infinity is infinity.
I think Derek Parfit's copier [Reasons and Persons Ch 10] was
'usually' producing complete and accurate copies, because one of his
scenarios addresses what would happen if there was a fault in the
transmission.
The brain manages to maintain identity from moment to moment without
perfect copying or infinite computing power. Of course, you may need
very good copying and very great computing power, but this is different
in kind, not just in degree, from perfect copying and infinite computing
power.
Stathis Papaioannou
And does it even have to be very good? Suppose it made a sloppy copy of me that left out
90% of my memories - would it still be "me"? How much fidelity is required for
Bruno's argument? I think not much.
Brent Meeker
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