Guys, I didn't know whether to put this in philosophy or not... I think ultimately your decision will be of a philosophical nature.

This question is a mish mash from various other threads about our fears/prejudices.

My question is: In the near future they invent the Star Trek style transporter.
It becomes popular and affordable.

Would you give it ago? Knowing you whole being, your whole essence of who you are is dismantled, analysed and basically 3D copy/printed almost instantly on the other side.
The original is destroyed as it would contravene the law and is highly illegal. (both morally and legally)

I'm suspecting the majority of theists would be hesitant as it implies the destruction of your god given "soul".

I personally would love to use it ... As long as there's no fucking flies around! lol

If Spock (when he materializes on the surface of a planet) is the same person that he was when he was transported from Enterprise, then "personhood" can be reduced to this: the continuity of any given personal experience.

(March 27, 2018 at 4:25 am)ignoramus Wrote: Guys, I didn't know whether to put this in philosophy or not... I think ultimately your decision will be of a philosophical nature.

This question is a mish mash from various other threads about our fears/prejudices.

My question is: In the near future they invent the Star Trek style transporter.
It becomes popular and affordable.

Would you give it ago? Knowing you whole being, your whole essence of who you are is dismantled, analysed and basically 3D copy/printed almost instantly on the other side.
The original is destroyed as it would contravene the law and is highly illegal. (both morally and legally)

I'm suspecting the majority of theists would be hesitant as it implies the destruction of your god given "soul".

I personally would love to use it ... As long as there's no fucking flies around! lol

Star Trek was a si fi show, not a lab.

Brian, spell it with me brother ... h.y.p.o.t.h.e.t.i.c.a.l

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(March 27, 2018 at 4:36 am)vulcanlogician Wrote: If Spock (when he materializes on the surface of a planet) is the same person that he was when he was transported from Enterprise, then "personhood" can be reduced to this: the continuity of any given personal experience.

If he appears to be? Would that be good enough for you...
All the scientific before and after testing could not find a difference either physical or physiological, etc
It's still not us right? I suppose ultimately it becomes a The ship of theseus philosophical issue, doesn't it ....

If you get a hair cut, it's still you. If you lose a little pinky in an accident, it's still you... If they grabbed your brain and we continued this conversation with you in a vat, is your personhood still intact? maybe?

No way that I want my head put on backwards. What if my ass is big and no one ever told me?

No one cuts my hair.

"Enterprise, What we got back didn't live long . . . .



. . . fortunately."

(March 27, 2018 at 4:36 am)vulcanlogician Wrote: If Spock (when he materializes on the surface of a planet) is the same person that he was when he was transported from Enterprise, then "personhood" can be reduced to this: the continuity of any given personal experience.

Is Spock no longer a person whilst dismantled?

I voted no because I am naturally distrustful of technology. But on thinking about it, yeah, so if I technically die because my stream of consciousness has been interrupted then it's no different to being under anesthetic. After all, we're all just persistent patterns and it's an evolved instinct to be afraid of death, which I'm not really afraid of anyway. If there was a transporter accident and I got duplicated both copies would still be me but what being me meant would then start to diverge from that point onwards. Hmm, I could possibly be tempted. Maybe during one of my more nihilistic phases  ...

I'm just curious to know from theists whether they would risk it. If the soul cannot be detected by science, then it can't be replicated either. We basically all become reprocessed godless meat bags...