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That begs the question of what are "you". I personally believe that I am just the data contained in my brain, and it can be copied and transferred around, but w

by plokiju 10y ago

That begs the question of what are "you". I personally believe that I am just the data contained in my brain, and it can be copied and transferred around, but where ever it ends up would still be me.

arethuza 10y ago
I occasionally wonder if the "me" that goes to sleep is really the same "me" that wakes up or whether it is another instance of me restored from a backup.
te_chris 10y ago
There's a lot of recent psychology research that suggests you're very wrong and that your body and physical experience is fundamental to our existence as beings.
- TeMPOraL 10y ago
  That's trivially invalidated by observing that there are people without various limbs and/or other body parts that are nevertheless happily alive and considered to exist as beings. The physical body - and the physical environment we live in - are just variables that can be gradually altered. Even if the brain is optimized towards a particular environment, it doesn't mean it won't handle a different one.
  - pugio 10y ago
    It is not trivial, nor invalidated. They do exists as beings, yes, but different beings than the ones who possessed (or would have possessed) those limbs. The question is not one of necessary conditions for "being-hood", it is one of identity via continuity.
    - TeMPOraL 10y ago
      Identity via continuity sounds like the Ship of Theseus problem[0], and it doesn't seem like any kind of a roadblock for anything. As for being a different being, I personally wouldn't mind. I'm not the same being I was yesterday, or last year, anyway. For instance, over the past few years, I have many parts of my teeth removed and replaced with artificial components. I do not feel worse because of that. [0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus
- plokiju 10y ago
  Would you mind sharing some links? And maybe explaining your thoughts further? Are you saying that you can't have a consciousness without a physical body?
  - te_chris 10y ago
    I'm a bit slammed, but the book The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford summarises a lot. Not necessarily can't have consciousness, but the research he cites argues that we are more than just a brain.

by plokiju 10y ago

That begs the question of what are "you". I personally believe that I am just the data contained in my brain, and it can be copied and transferred around, but where ever it ends up would still be me.

arethuza 10y ago

I occasionally wonder if the "me" that goes to sleep is really the same "me" that wakes up or whether it is another instance of me restored from a backup.

te_chris 10y ago

There's a lot of recent psychology research that suggests you're very wrong and that your body and physical experience is fundamental to our existence as beings.

TeMPOraL 10y ago
That's trivially invalidated by observing that there are people without various limbs and/or other body parts that are nevertheless happily alive and considered to exist as beings. The physical body - and the physical environment we live in - are just variables that can be gradually altered. Even if the brain is optimized towards a particular environment, it doesn't mean it won't handle a different one.
- pugio 10y ago
  It is not trivial, nor invalidated. They do exists as beings, yes, but different beings than the ones who possessed (or would have possessed) those limbs. The question is not one of necessary conditions for "being-hood", it is one of identity via continuity.
  - TeMPOraL 10y ago
    Identity via continuity sounds like the Ship of Theseus problem[0], and it doesn't seem like any kind of a roadblock for anything. As for being a different being, I personally wouldn't mind. I'm not the same being I was yesterday, or last year, anyway. For instance, over the past few years, I have many parts of my teeth removed and replaced with artificial components. I do not feel worse because of that. [0] - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus
plokiju 10y ago
Would you mind sharing some links? And maybe explaining your thoughts further? Are you saying that you can't have a consciousness without a physical body?
- te_chris 10y ago
  I'm a bit slammed, but the book The World Beyond Your Head by Matthew Crawford summarises a lot. Not necessarily can't have consciousness, but the research he cites argues that we are more than just a brain.