X-Message-Number: 25285
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 2004 23:51:57 -0700
From: Mike Perry <>
Subject: Multiple QEs Problem

Richard said, "I told Mike I did think it was possible to cut the brain 
into some pieces of unknown number (but quite small---not millions of 
pieces, since a piece of such size would not be capable of experiencing 
qualia) and unknown shape (since the actual cuts may be important) and 
still preserve the QE." Let's suppose we separate a cryopreserved brain 
into just two pieces, each of which could function as a QE. Next, for the 
reanimation procedure, we assume repairs are done on each piece separately. 
These repairs, it turns out, further separate the brain matter into tiny 
pieces which cannot function as QEs. According to Richard's theory, this 
should be no problem so long as the two parts are repaired sequentially, 
since a QE is present at all times. But if they are repaired concurrently, 
there is a time when no QE is present, thus the patient dies, even though 
the end result, an apparently intact and healthy patient like the original, 
is the same either way. With due respects, I find this kind of argument 
hard to take seriously. Or put another way, whatever would be lost by the 
hypothesized concurrency just doesn't seem important, in any verifiable sense.

Mike Perry

Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=25285