There's a pretty old thought experiment that goes a little like this:
Suppose there's a transporter that can get you anywhere in the solar system within a matter of seconds. It does this by scanning every atom in your body, its wave signature, spin, and so on. It can also scan your brain to gather all your memories, thoughts, fears, experiences, etc. Once the scan is complete, your body on Earth is destroyed and an exact copy is made at your desired destination. The question about whether or not you would undergo such a process often has to do with whether you believe in a soul - something that simply can't be 'captured' by the transporter. For the longest time, I had no problem using such a device. (Of course, we're supposing here that the transporter works perfectly and there's no risk of anything going wrong). The reason I wasn't opposed to the transporter is because it is also able to scan your thoughts. So, for example, if you were going to Mars and, as you stepped into the transporter you were thinking that you'd like some ice cream, your thought would not be interrupted when you arrive. It's phenomenologically seamless.
But here's a twist:
Suppose the transporter does everything it's supposed to do. It scans you, stores the information, etc. But instead of destroying your body, you just step out and go on about your day. Meanwhile this 'snapshot' of you is being stored. Years go by, you grow old and die - at which point the transporter exports the copy of you. Clearly, then, this copy wouldn't be 'you' - which is at odds with how I've thought about this question. It seems like we're nothing but chemicals and organic substances in a particular arrangement. But if that's the case, then you would awaken after you die as this snapshot of yourself. This doesn't seem right at all. To make it even weirder, suppose the transporter makes the copy of you right then and there without destroying the original body. Clearly here there wouldn't be 'two' of you!
So the question seems to come down to consciousness. Now, presumably your copy would have consciousness, but it wouldn't have *your* consciousness, would it? Other people wouldn't be able to tell the difference, but it seems like there's something different going on inside the mind. So, what's going on?
Yeah, for sure. I can't even get my head around what it would be like to share a consciousness - especially if those two consciousnesses were happening simultaneously. Talk about sensory overload!
I think there was a book about this.... Then again theres a book on just about everything. But in the book, there were as many as 5 people I believe, sharing one body. Because of overpopulation or something.
Then again theres a book on just about everything. But in the book, there were as many as 5 people I believe, sharing one body.
Ha! That reminds me of the film "Being John Malkovich". There was this secret door in a building that you could crawl into and you would get to experience everything that the actor John Malkovich was experiencing at that moment. They pretty much saw and heard everything he did, although they couldn't tell what he was thinking - the observer retained their own conscious awareness of the experience.
they cloned him in this movie after they thought the original man was dead. the clone got a copy of memories too. the only way to say it is a clone was a tiny yellow dot under the eye. Agreed. When uneasily answered questions start being asked, religion always pops up in an explanation eventually.
if you cant explain something you seek an other way to explain it.
whats with the movie "the island"? they made clones in this movie in case the original gets sick and need a new lung for example. but two clones escaped to life a normal live.
