X-Message-Number: 11113
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:06:46 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Re: CryoNet #11104

Brook Norton, #11104, has offered some interesting comment on the viewpoint
that a person perishes each instant, to be replaced by another, similar if
not identical being. Fundamentally, this instantly-perishing-self theory
does not depend on any such property as a gradual loss of memories over
time, or other changes. Even if that is not the issue we can still
hypothesize that "you" perish each instant to be replaced by a similar but
different individual. A similar, if weaker form of this is the "day-person"
concept advanced by Thomas Nagel, that basically, we die in our sleep to be
replaced by a different but similar individual. Such theories are
untestable; they cannot be refuted, they "fit the facts." Yet if we take
literally the idea that we will not live past our next period of
unconsciousness, it makes little sense to plan for such things as cryonic
suspension.

As it happens, I like the opposite extreme, i.e. to say that "you" survive
in any construct whatever that is sufficiently like you (with the exact
meaning of "sufficiently like" a matter to be decided, but certainly
allowing the possibility of duplicates). I think this can be made to "fit
the facts" too and I prefer it for other reasons.

Mike Perry
signed-up cryonicist 

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