From: John K Clark (johnkclark@fastmail.fm)
Date: Thu Dec 03 2009 - 09:58:48 MST
Stathis Papaioannou <stathisp@gmail.com>wrote:
>
> > 1. I do nothing.
> > 2. I gather together the chemicals that would be used to make a copy
> > of you, then destroy them.
> > 3. I assemble the chemicals to make a copy of you, but at a low
> > temperature so that its metabolism is suspended, then destroy it.
> > 4. I allow the copy to warm up so that metabolic processes start up
> > for a microsecond, then destroy it.
> > 5. I allow the copy to wake up, talk to it for a few minutes so that
> > it realises what's going on, then destroy it.
"Mike Dougherty" <msd001@gmail.com>said:
> 1 to 4 are equivalent: there is no termination of a stream of
> consciousness, no aggrieved party. But 5 is murder.
Yes I agree because after it has a new experience, such as talking with
you for a few minutes, it is no longer exact, the copy is no longer a
copy but a new individual.
> at what point does abortion become murder?
In matters of this sort there is no "point" nor is there a line to
cross, there is only a blob. You could start with mild impoliteness and
in a million steps each one equal and only a trivial escalation and yet
still end up with genocide at the end.
John K Clark
-- John K Clark johnkclark@fastmail.fm -- http://www.fastmail.fm - Send your email first class
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