X-Message-Number: 14678
Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 13:55:48 +0200
From: Henri Kluytmans <>
Subject: Copy paradox : "Pizer" test

david pizer wrote :

>I have devised a quick test to see if you do or do not think that a
>duplicate is you.  
<snip>
>3.	The instructor says that you have to shoot either the duplicate or
>yourself, or else he will have to shoot both of you.  You are not allowed
>to shoot the instructor.
<snip>
>Only if you are willing to shoot yourself do you show that you believe the
>duplicate is you.

Ehh... there is of course a major problem : EMOTIONS. As long as we are 
beings that do not have total control over our emotions this sitation 
will be a big problem for these two individuals.

But if the two individuals would have total control over their 
emotions, then we would do the following :

(( For simplicity lets consider that the copying action was done only 
half one hour ago. This will substantially decrease the importance 
of deciding which copy's last experiences will be the most valuable. In 
fact I wouldnt make big deal of loosing a half an hour of information 
(subjective time) anyway. ))

First, we would communicate and try establish with great certainty 
(lets say 99,9999%) that we really have identical identities. Then 
we would turn off our emotional instincts against termination. And 
then we would flip coins to decide which copy will be shot.

---

The reason why so many people seem to object to the termination 
of a copy (or original) of themselves is only of emotional origin. 
Humans have an instincitve emotional system build in, that objects 
against any action to end his/her existance. This system is of 
course very useful for beings in biological bodies that never 
can spawn any copies. However it is to be questioned if this 
instinctive emotional system is still that usefull when being 
an uploaded entity.

Cheers,
>Hkl

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