Joćo Silva writes:
> Hi, I'm new to this list. Sorry for coming into the conversation
> uninvited, but I would like to post some comments on this :) Hope you
> don't mind.
Welcome to the list. Everyone is free to barge into every discussion.
> Brent Meeker wrote:
> >
> > And does it even have to be very good? Suppose it made a sloppy copy
> > of me that left out 90% of my memories - would it still be "me"? How
> > much fidelity is required for Bruno's argument? I think not much.
> >
>
> Memories would have to be somehow stored (in neurons or whatever), so
> losing 10% of memories would likely mean that 10% of the brain wasn't
> perfectly copied. I guess even a 0.0001% error of copy would probably
> kill someone; for instance, a minimally modified cell may develop a
> lethal cancer.
We know it is possible for the brain to lose some of its memories because it
happens all the time: we forget things, we become demented. But even if
memory were stored as a kind of house of cards such that removing one minor
component would cause total disruption, it is still valid to ask the philosophical
question. One difference between philosophy and science is that the former is
not burdened by technical issues.
Stathis Papaioannou
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Received on Sun Jan 07 2007 - 19:16:54 PST