X-Message-Number: 7979 Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 22:04:44 -0800 (PST) From: John K Clark <> Subject: What am I? -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- I need some advice and it's not the sort of thing I can write to Ann Landers. About a year ago I started building a matter duplicating machine. It could find the position and velocity of every atom in a human being to the limit imposed by Heisenberg's law. It then used this information to construct a copy, and it does it all in a fraction of a second and without harming the original in any way. You may be surprised that I was able to build such a complicated machine, but you wouldn't be if you knew how good I am with my hands. The birdhouse I made is simply lovely and I have all the latest tools from Sears. I was a little nervous but I decided to test the machine by duplicating myself. The day before yesterday I walked into the chamber, it filled with smoke (damn those radio shack transformers) there was a flash of light, and then 3 feet to my left was a man who looked exactly like me. It was at that instant that the full realization of the terrible thing I did hit me. I yelled " This is monstrous, there can only be one of me", my double yelled exactly the same thing. I thought he was trying to mock me, so I reached for my 44 magnum that I always carry with me (I wonder why people think I'm strange) and pointed it at him. I noted with alarm that my double also had a gun and he was pointed it at me. I shouted "you don't have the guts to pull the trigger, but I do". Again he mimicked my words and did so in perfect synchronization, this made me even more angry and I pulled the trigger, he did too. My gun went off but his gun jammed. I buried him in my back yard. Now that my anger has cooled and I can think more clearly I've had some pangs of conscious about killing a living creature, but that's not what really torments me. How do I know I'm not the copy? I feel exactly the same as before, but would a copy feel different? Actually there is a way to be certain, I have a video tape of the entire experiment. My memory is that the copy first appeared 3 feet to my LEFT, if the tape shows the original walking into the chamber and the copy materializing 3 feet to his RIGHT, then I would know that I am the copy. I'm afraid to look at the tape, should I be? If I found out I was the copy what should I do? I suppose I should morn the death of John Clark, but how can I, I'm not dead. If I am the copy would that mean that I have no real past and my life is meaningless? Is it important, or should I just burn the tape and forget all about it? John K Clark -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- Version: 2.6.i iQCzAgUBMz9LqH03wfSpid95AQHzmwTwomR6fiCROieDCY+MRY4NqKGLkK+lP93U qeZZRBHRlAACLXmNqWb+s83HnUJqthYIZ8foDoDcoicnfO+IKXrSQCAqDu/yjnKo W4e9+03DXbxScIjTkQbg9F36bJ7m2rEF2UjXO2Iai2ygMqfKAevkMZluC0MJD/VB MbephifWM7Xs3tBCsk81DELuX5ea6vtv1ueac6HKACzx+jbjg/I= =Ddhy -----END PGP SIGNATURE----- Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=7979