X-Message-Number: 16086
Date: Sat, 21 Apr 2001 06:18:42 -0700
From: Lee Corbin <>
Subject: Re: The Identity Issue ... Again

Scott Badger writes

>I am no more concerned about being copied (twin-ed or
>doubled) and losing the original in the process than I
>am waking up tomorrow from a deep sleep.
>
>As the politicians might say ... 
>It's the information, stupid.

But even for those of us who agree that it's the
information that determines everything, deep differences
of opinion still persist.  Here, in effect, you are 
saying that you would accede to teleportation.

But the hard problem, for a lot of people is,

Suppose that you are taken into the next room where a
frozen duplicate of you, made five minutes ago, lies
encased in ice.  There is a briefcase on top the ice
cask containing ten million dollars, and you may either
(a) choose to have your duplicate and the money be
disintegrated, or (b) choose to be disintegrated 
yourself.  If you select the latter, then the duplicate
is defrosted and gets to deposit the money.

The question is, given that you are to make the most
self-interested decision you can, for the benefit of
the person you consider yourself to be, would you choose
(a) or (b)?

While I know what a great many people on this list say
they would do, I don't know about you, Scott.  

I'd take the money, of course, by the simple expedient
of having myself disintegrated, and then depositing the
money after I was defrosted.  Naturally, this amounts
to saying that I believe it possible for me to be in
two places at the same time, just as I believe it
possible for me to be at two different times in the
same place.

But in our discussion during the fall, it was clear that
only a small minority would go so far.  How about you?

Lee

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