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If you believe in an uncopyable soul, a teleporter like that about would be a way of creating actual, honest-to-god P-zombies. Fun! On the other hand, if you d

If you believe in an uncopyable soul, a teleporter like that about would be a way of creating actual, honest-to-god P-zombies. Fun! On the other hand, if you don't, then it doesn't seem like it's such a big deal. Diaspora, by Greg Egan, has a lot of this kinda thing happening in it (in fairness, they're software minds, which simplifies things).

derefr 18y ago
Indeed, Greg Egan's short story "Learning to be Me" is on exactly the argument (both sides!) that the article is trying to make: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/361474/learning_to_be_me.html http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/361474/learning_to_be_me.html
- pfedor 18y ago
  Let me use this opportunity to make a plug for another excellent writer. If you like Greg Egan, chances are you will like Stanisław Lem, who tackled some of the very similar questions in his work. One good place to start is: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Diaries-Further-Reminiscences-Tichy/dp/0156849054/ http://www.amazon.com/Star-Diaries-Further-Reminiscences-Tic...
JabavuAdams 18y ago
P-zombies are bullshit. Imagine an apple that's really a pear, except it's indistinguishable from an apple. Imagine some words that are not bullshit, but are indistinguishable from bullshit.
- mannicken 18y ago
  Technically, everyone but you (me, in my case) is a p-zombie.
  - JabavuAdams 18y ago
    Well, not if you (I) don't believe in p-zombies. If I'm imagining an electron that's also a skyscraper, my brain isn't creating a little one in my head. The fact that I can imagine a thing doesn't mean that it could ever exist as the thing itself. It just means that I'm choosing to assign (possibly contradictory) answers to questions about the thing. Is it an electron? Y Is it a skyscraper? Y So how does that work? ...
rms 18y ago
http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/04/zombies.html http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/04/zombies.html

derefr 18y ago

Indeed, Greg Egan's short story "Learning to be Me" is on exactly the argument (both sides!) that the article is trying to make: http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/361474/learning_to_be_me.html http://dl.getdropbox.com/u/361474/learning_to_be_me.html

pfedor 18y ago
Let me use this opportunity to make a plug for another excellent writer. If you like Greg Egan, chances are you will like Stanisław Lem, who tackled some of the very similar questions in his work. One good place to start is: http://www.amazon.com/Star-Diaries-Further-Reminiscences-Tichy/dp/0156849054/ http://www.amazon.com/Star-Diaries-Further-Reminiscences-Tic...

JabavuAdams 18y ago

P-zombies are bullshit. Imagine an apple that's really a pear, except it's indistinguishable from an apple. Imagine some words that are not bullshit, but are indistinguishable from bullshit.

mannicken 18y ago
Technically, everyone but you (me, in my case) is a p-zombie.
- JabavuAdams 18y ago
  Well, not if you (I) don't believe in p-zombies. If I'm imagining an electron that's also a skyscraper, my brain isn't creating a little one in my head. The fact that I can imagine a thing doesn't mean that it could ever exist as the thing itself. It just means that I'm choosing to assign (possibly contradictory) answers to questions about the thing. Is it an electron? Y Is it a skyscraper? Y So how does that work? ...

rms 18y ago

http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/04/zombies.html http://www.overcomingbias.com/2008/04/zombies.html