Re: another puzzzle

From: Hal Finney <hal.domain.name.hidden>
Date: Fri, 17 Jun 2005 22:55:56 -0700 (PDT)

Stathis Papaioannou writes:
> Do you accept the way I have presented the thought experiment above, i.e.
> that when God creates or destroys 10^100 copies the subject notices
> absolutely nothing other than the light changing colour, or do you think he
> would notice some other difference? If so, it would have to be an *enormous*
> difference, given the numbers we are talking about; what difference would it
> make if the ratio were, say, 2:1 instead? Can you honestly say that this
> subjective effect of measure isn't something that will be cut down by
> Occam's Razor as a needless complication?

I would first use the word "subjects" not "subject" for the many copies
involved in your experiment. Most of them will experience the same thing
as the subject in the following experiment:

God creates someone with memories of a past life, lets him live for a
day, then instantly and painlessly kills him.

What would you say that he experiences? Would he notice his birth and
death? I would generally apply the same answers to the 10^100 people
who undergo your thought experiment.

Hal Finney
Received on Sat Jun 18 2005 - 02:46:01 PDT