I don't think the metaphor works well here. The argument that the ship of Theseus is the same is because even though each component has been replaced, it has be

I don't think the metaphor works well here. The argument that the ship of Theseus is the same is because even though each component has been replaced, it has been replaced by something pretty much indistinguishable from the original. One plank or rope or sail is much like another. I don't think anyone would claim it's still the ship of Theseus if you took all the wood and build something else out of it that wasn't even a ship anymore. But in any case I don't see how invoking the metaphor in any way supports the op's argument.