X-Message-Number: 3689
Date: Sat, 14 Jan 1995 22:46:08 -0500
From: "Bruce Zimov" <>
Subject: SCI.CRYONICS: Uploading


John,

   The causal process that made the copies to begin with is a branch
point, after which Cobb and his copies diverge along spearate
causal paths, even if the stored copies stay in a particular state.
So, there is no immediate causal link between Cobb and his copies,
so Cobb's copies won't extend THAT instance of Cobb's survival.
To take another attitude would be altruistic, but no more than that.
Also, there is nothing that prevents more than one individual Cobb,
so the matter of 2 subjective instances simultaneous can be renamed
but no more than that. There are still 2 separate subjective instances.


You said:

>Our identity can't be in matter because we constantly
>incorporate new atoms, and science can find no difference
>between one hydrogen atom and another. 

Our identity is in the pattern of matter, like the identity of a wave,
or a repaired watch.  There is an obvious difference between 2
hydrogen atoms. There are 2 of them. One at A, and One at B.
That is what numerical identity is all about.

Bruce Zimov


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