Our sense of self is an illusion? (Buddhism, nature, life)

[Chango]

I listened to a recorded talk by Michio Kaku about the future of technology yesterday; he was talking about how a Star-Trek style transporter is technically feasable, but by ripping Captain Kirk apart at the molecular level and reassembing him we would literally be killing him and making an exact replica of Kirk on the other end.

The replica would think he was Captain Kirk, would do everything Captain Kirk does, but he still wouldn't BE the same Captain Kirk who stepped into the transporter.

It got me thinking about how we would never be able to know if we were "us" or not if we were the copy.

And if our memories are just constantly replayed chemical and electral stimulations between neurons, our developed sense of self right now is essentially just the latest copy in a long line of copies of copies of copies.

It kinda turns preconceived notions of the self on it's head, and begs more discussion on the nature of what our minds are (and aren't). whatdayathink?

[raison_d'etre]

Originally Posted by Chango

I listened to a recorded talk by Michio Kaku about the future of technology yesterday; he was talking about how a Star-Trek style transporter is technically feasable, but by ripping Captain Kirk apart at the molecular level and reassembing him we would literally be killing him and making an exact replica of Kirk on the other end.

The replica would think he was Captain Kirk, would do everything Captain Kirk does, but he still wouldn't BE the same Captain Kirk who stepped into the transporter.

It got me thinking about how we would never be able to know if we were "us" or not if we were the copy.

And if our memories are just constantly replayed chemical and electral stimulations between neurons, our developed sense of self right now is essentially just the latest copy in a long line of copies of copies of copies.

It kinda turns preconceived notions of the self on it's head, and begs more discussion on the nature of what our minds are (and aren't). whatdayathink?

I watched something on the subject once. I found it very interesting. However, i don't think that a person would be the exact same, mentally and emotionally speaking. I also think that over time the molecules would begin to break down.

Think of this... Over about a years time a person is no longer the same person cellularly speaking. Your cells are constantly dying off and creating new ones. Now if you make a copy of someone while some cells are in the process of dying and some in the process of birth, what would come out on the other side? We assume the cells would know what to do. Would the persons cells freeze in a constant life state. If so, that person would cease to exist. Just a theory of mine. It would be cool to teleport to say another country or even another planet.

[Hueffenhardt]

Ever seen the movie "6th Day" with Arnold Schwartzenegger? It was about clones who thought they were the original.

[Stavemaster]

Originally Posted by Chango

I listened to a recorded talk by Michio Kaku about the future of technology yesterday; he was talking about how a Star-Trek style transporter is technically feasable, but by ripping Captain Kirk apart at the molecular level and reassembing him we would literally be killing him and making an exact replica of Kirk on the other end.

The replica would think he was Captain Kirk, would do everything Captain Kirk does, but he still wouldn't BE the same Captain Kirk who stepped into the transporter.

It got me thinking about how we would never be able to know if we were "us" or not if we were the copy.

And if our memories are just constantly replayed chemical and electral stimulations between neurons, our developed sense of self right now is essentially just the latest copy in a long line of copies of copies of copies.

It kinda turns preconceived notions of the self on it's head, and begs more discussion on the nature of what our minds are (and aren't). whatdayathink?

Congratulations, you've just discovered the Buddhist doctrine of anatta!

Here's the relevant part for those who don't want to read the whole thing:

Originally Posted by Wikipedia

"On another interpretation, Buddhism rejects any idea of the self. On this view it is incorrect even to speak about an "empirical self". This is because constantly changing physical and mental phenomena all have impermanence, and anything with such impermanence does not amount to the idea of a self. One is permitted to use terms such as "I", "you", and so on, not because they refer to an empirical self, but simply because they are "convenient designations". They are used in much the same way that the word "it" is used in the sentence "It is cold". Here there is nothing that the word "it" refers to. It is merely a grammatical device which allows one to assert "there is cold", while using a substantive term"

[Minahel.Fatima]

I guess brain is the machine that has to take decision weather some one can be the copy of others. If person think the same way as other then their mental states were same and the other person will behave like the other person. You need to start your brain to think like some one because the same chemicals start generating and you will be the same

[the_windwalker]

Originally Posted by Chango

I listened to a recorded talk by Michio Kaku about the future of technology yesterday; he was talking about how a Star-Trek style transporter is technically feasable, but by ripping Captain Kirk apart at the molecular level and reassembing him we would literally be killing him and making an exact replica of Kirk on the other end.

The replica would think he was Captain Kirk, would do everything Captain Kirk does, but he still wouldn't BE the same Captain Kirk who stepped into the transporter.

It got me thinking about how we would never be able to know if we were "us" or not if we were the copy.

And if our memories are just constantly replayed chemical and electral stimulations between neurons, our developed sense of self right now is essentially just the latest copy in a long line of copies of copies of copies.

It kinda turns preconceived notions of the self on it's head, and begs more discussion on the nature of what our minds are (and aren't). whatdayathink?

What kind of sedative would you plan on giving someone before they were electronically transferred to another site?

[Chango]

Originally Posted by the_windwalker

What kind of sedative would you plan on giving someone before they were electronically transferred to another site?

This ought to do the job...



(what, do you think we'd hire weiners to do teletransport experiments? )

[the_windwalker]

Originally Posted by Chango

This ought to do the job...



(what, do you think we'd hire weiners to do teletransport experiments? )

Just that as the atoms of your skin start to get disassembled, it feels like a million razorblades are cutting into your skin from head to toe. You might want to be asleep while that happens. Of course, once it gets past the skin, you're going to pass out anyhow.

[Nighteyes]

Originally Posted by the_windwalker

Just that as the atoms of your skin start to get disassembled, it feels like a million razorblades are cutting into your skin from head to toe.

And you know this ..... how? Is there something about you that we should probably know?

[mikebnllnb]

Originally Posted by Chango

I listened to a recorded talk by Michio Kaku about the future of technology yesterday; he was talking about how a Star-Trek style transporter is technically feasable, but by ripping Captain Kirk apart at the molecular level and reassembing him we would literally be killing him and making an exact replica of Kirk on the other end.

The replica would think he was Captain Kirk, would do everything Captain Kirk does, but he still wouldn't BE the same Captain Kirk who stepped into the transporter.

It got me thinking about how we would never be able to know if we were "us" or not if we were the copy.

And if our memories are just constantly replayed chemical and electral stimulations between neurons, our developed sense of self right now is essentially just the latest copy in a long line of copies of copies of copies.

It kinda turns preconceived notions of the self on it's head, and begs more discussion on the nature of what our minds are (and aren't). whatdayathink?

Emo science fiction?