WC writes:
> >Classical teleportation cannot copy something exact to the quantum level,
> >but rather involves making a "close enough" copy. It is obvious, I think,
> >that this is theoretically possible, but it is not immediately obvious how
> >good the copy of a person would have to be (what Bruno calls the
> >"substitution level") in order to feel himself to be the "same" person. But
> >as mentioned above, I don't think we need to insist on perfect duplication
> >to the quantum level, because this doesn't even happen from moment to
> >moment in everyday life.
> >
>
> Thanks for the info. although I still don't think substitution level exists.
> If teleportation of human beings is real (I hope I can see it in my life),
> I think all biggest questions (such as consciousness, soul? Creator? the
> origin of the universe, meaning of life ... etc.)
> of this universe should have been solved.
Are you saying that you believe a copy of a person must be *exactly* the same
to be the same person? (Note that even this is more than some people would
concede, as there are some who hold that even an exact copy would not suffice.)
But what about the fact that people do change, physically and mentally, from
moment to moment? Surely this implies that we don't need the copy to be exact,
but we need to determine how close to exact it has to be. Also, I don't see how
practical teleportation would solve the other problems you mention. It is useful as
a thought experiment in the philosophy of personal identity, in particular, but all
that is required in these arguments is the *theoretical* possibility. I think this is
where you err: the sorts of arguments we have been discussing would be neither
more nor less convincing if teleportation became a practical reality tomorrrow.
Stathis Papaioannou
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Received on Wed Aug 09 2006 - 07:55:21 PDT