The Curse of the Flesh

[Syt]

If the copy is indistinguishable from the (destroyed) original and preserves memories and personality and believes itself to be the  person in question: does it matter?

[The Brain]

If the copy is indistinguishable from the (destroyed) original and preserves memories and personality and believes itself to be the  person in question: does it matter?

To the person who is killed? Yes. To observers? Depends on how they felt about the dead guy.

[Berkut]

Is it a copy? If yes then maybe if my family wants me to. Otherwise what's the point? Unless my brain is implanted into a robot body and kept immortal there, it would not be me, just a robot copy of me. I'd still die.

Right.  This is the same reason why I contend that Star Trek-style teleporters wouldn't work.  You'd be killed the moment of teleportation, and the thing that materializes at the far end is an exact replica of you, but is not you.

*I* invented that concept!

Star Trek teleporters are mass murder machines. Nobody can tell, of course, since the new person thinks they are the old person, but they are not.

[Habbaku]

Is it a copy? If yes then maybe if my family wants me to. Otherwise what's the point? Unless my brain is implanted into a robot body and kept immortal there, it would not be me, just a robot copy of me. I'd still die.

Right.  This is the same reason why I contend that Star Trek-style teleporters wouldn't work.  You'd be killed the moment of teleportation, and the thing that materializes at the far end is an exact replica of you, but is not you.

*I* invented that concept!

Star Trek teleporters are mass murder machines. Nobody can tell, of course, since the new person thinks they are the old person, but they are not.

That concept was well-discussed before you got to it. 

[Razgovory]

If the copy is indistinguishable from the (destroyed) original and preserves memories and personality and believes itself to be the  person in question: does it matter?

Dramatically.  One is an AI and would not feel the same feelings as the human being.  Unless the programmer is a lunatic and made AIs that can feel pain and boredom.

[Valmy]

Well in the case of the transporter it is a biological clone.

There was a sci fi series where a transporter would create a clone on the other end but also leave the original version so every time you beamed around you created another copy of yourself. I thought that was interesting.

[HVC]

Is it a copy? If yes then maybe if my family wants me to. Otherwise what's the point? Unless my brain is implanted into a robot body and kept immortal there, it would not be me, just a robot copy of me. I'd still die.

Right.  This is the same reason why I contend that Star Trek-style teleporters wouldn't work.  You'd be killed the moment of teleportation, and the thing that materializes at the far end is an exact replica of you, but is not you.

but what is you? if its just a collection of memories then copy you is still you.

[Josquius]

Continuity.
Though I don't see reason why a robot transplant can't have that. Link you to the robot so you're in both at once then turn off the bio body.

Well in the case of the transporter it is a biological clone.

There was a sci fi series where a transporter would create a clone on the other end but also leave the original version so every time you beamed around you created another copy of yourself. I thought that was interesting.

That was the prestige right?

[Maladict]

You already died when the first cell divided into two.

[Razgovory]

Is it a copy? If yes then maybe if my family wants me to. Otherwise what's the point? Unless my brain is implanted into a robot body and kept immortal there, it would not be me, just a robot copy of me. I'd still die.

Right.  This is the same reason why I contend that Star Trek-style teleporters wouldn't work.  You'd be killed the moment of teleportation, and the thing that materializes at the far end is an exact replica of you, but is not you.

but what is you? if its just a collection of memories then copy you is still you.

But the memories are not real.  They are memories of events did not happen to the clone.  Imagine that before you went to into the teleporter I cheated you out of a bunch of money.  You go into the teleporter and the clone comes out and tries to sue me.  Would it have a case?  What about if three clones came out instead of one?  Would they all have cases, or each have a third of a case?  I say no, because it/they are different entities with false memories.  If it/they tried to testify about its experiences they could not without making a false statement.

[saskganesh]

I will live this life the best I can, and try to help others along on the way. That's it. We will all die, which is sad, but it is what keeps us human. I will never lose my humanity and join the Borg. I will just say Good Night.

[frunk]

*I* invented that concept!

Star Trek teleporters are mass murder machines. Nobody can tell, of course, since the new person thinks they are the old person, but they are not.

That concept was well-discussed before you got to it. 

Nonsense, Berkut is a time traveler from ancient Greece.

[Darth Wagtaros]

Is it a copy? If yes then maybe if my family wants me to. Otherwise what's the point? Unless my brain is implanted into a robot body and kept immortal there, it would not be me, just a robot copy of me. I'd still die.

Right.  This is the same reason why I contend that Star Trek-style teleporters wouldn't work.  You'd be killed the moment of teleportation, and the thing that materializes at the far end is an exact replica of you, but is not you.

Yes.  They had plots where transporter clones show up and go about their business, becoming independent people. Makes me wonder why they never used it as a plot device to have some form of immortality.  THey just 'record you' every now and then and then use the transporter to make a new copy if something happens.  THey'd not go through nearly as many Red Shirts.

[The Minsky Moment]

But the memories are not real.  They are memories of events did not happen to the clone.  Imagine that before you went to into the teleporter I cheated you out of a bunch of money.  You go into the teleporter and the clone comes out and tries to sue me.  Would it have a case?  What about if three clones came out instead of one?  Would they all have cases, or each have a third of a case? 

You've convinced me, I am now in favor of rapid development and use of transporter technology.

[grumbler]

But the memories are not real.  They are memories of events did not happen to the clone.  Imagine that before you went to into the teleporter I cheated you out of a bunch of money.  You go into the teleporter and the clone comes out and tries to sue me.  Would it have a case?  What about if three clones came out instead of one?  Would they all have cases, or each have a third of a case? 

You've convinced me, I am now in favor of rapid development and use of transporter technology.

Except that the one lawyer hired to represent all of them would just clone himself and collect all the lawyers fees.

In fact, cloned lawyers would have the advantage that no one would ask which of them had the human soul.