X-Message-Number: 25443
Date: Thu, 30 Dec 2004 08:18:51 -0500
From: Thomas Donaldson <>
Subject: CryoNet #25437 - #25441

First a bit for RBR:

I note that your argument against my survival in a version made 
from a record of me (if that is one of the points you were making
in your message of 29 December) brings up the issue of duplicates
once more. I have already said that I would not consider the 
duplicates to be the same, nor does the means to recreate me
at some future time require that the result is a duplicate ---
any more than I now on 30 December can be considered a duplicate
of me in 30 December 2003.

Not only that, but if I read what you say about your idea of an
Identity Machine I'd say you were playing pretty loose with the
whole notion of a "duplicate" being the "same" as the original.
If nothing else, a duplicate would occupy a different location,
which in turn means that its vision of the world would automatically
differ when it woke up after duplication. I do not know anyone
who believes that we may someday become duplicable (to invent
a word) who really means a duplication of ALL attributes. Bringing
up relativity etc here is frankly silly.

For Bob Ettinger:

When you finish it, and it's not too expensive, I'd like to buy and
read your book. If all humans share some values, that will be
because we are all human; it may also be (unfortunately) too
optimistic. I think of racial and ethnic conflict as examples
here. We're now past that time, but there was a time in the
past when groups fought one another because both wanted the
same land or objects (hmmm -- I must note the Middle East here).

Simply sharing values doesn't necessarily mean that we're free
of conflict (if that's what you intend, which I don't really
know). It may give a source of conflict which can't be solved
by any negotiations or understandings.

           Best wishes and long long life for all,

               Thomas Donaldson

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