Beautiful article. Well researched and thought provoking. Again, possibly because the pre summation rings in a confirmation bias due to my journey, which is full of horological ups and downs, unlike the rest who have a steady climb. And yet, I am the sum of my experiences. The same wrist that once wore a Simplicity also wears a Moonswatch now. With equal passion and fervour in the plotting to get each of them.
I’m halfway through and the flippancy with which you conflate consciousness, memory, and emotions…I’m having a hard time looking past that in your thought experiments.
“Think of it like a software update. iOS 1.0 might be unrecognisable compared to iOS 18.0, but each iteration built on the last.”
Software is a bad analogy for the Theseus paradox. iOS 18 builds on top of and adds more to iOS 1, it’s not a case of iOS 1 being refactored to use differently written functions and libraries that are functionally equivalent but the actual code maybe looks different. Using the ships analogy, maybe iOS 1 was a dinghy while iOS 18 is an aircraft carrier. They both float on water sure, but that’s about where the similarities end.
Okay I was so close to the end there lol. Yeah, I think my main contention with this (other than the infuriating realization that you’re sitting there smug having eaten up all us readers’ time) is that the self is an illusion. Surely you’ve read enough about psychology and neuroscience to know the self as we perceive it in ourselves doesn’t exist, and therefore to predicate a philosophical thought exercise on its transformation is pointless.
WTF 😳…. I’m dizzy 😵💫 and still trying to piece my mind back together . Where the hell did you even come up with this? And I might even ask where the impetus for this thought experiment even originated!? I literally had to scan the last third of it to avoid a total brain meltdown! Thank God, the last bit of it kind of helped me regain some semblance of sanity. So relieved to look around and see that I still have my collection, such as it is. I just hope I can get to sleep tonight.
Seriously I’m questioning your sanity momentarily 🥴🤧🤫….still love you though brother 🫥🫡☝🏻🥂
Haha! My sanity was always in doubt, but this originated from an old piece I read about human beings and the essence of us as people, and in light of AI, if we were able to be reprogrammed into an AI format which is sustained forever, does this mean we don’t die? Is an actual heartbeat required, or is our consciousness continuing, sufficient to say we are alive? You should watch that new Jennifer Lopez movie called ‘ATLAS’ - on the topic - I enjoyed it.
I just remembered that quantum mechanics has shown that it is indeed possible for an object to be in two places at the same time (as highlighted in the seminal film “What the *%@§ Bleep do We Know” …. Not quite sure how but I feel comforted a bit somewhat after reflecting on this 🥴😬 after this read 😝😑🫥
Not sure I’ve regained my bearings after that one. A wild ride. I’m going to stick with ones mindset and attitude. Loved the end about the evolution and accumulation of knowledge, love and appreciation over decades. I’m also not convinced we can full articulate and understand all that makes us, us. The soul, the essence, call it what you will. Consciousness still not fully understood. Aren’t we all Thesus’s ship with cell turn over? So where is the collector residing in us? Or perhaps the collector is a passenger on the ever changing ship.
All of us being Theseus’s ship is a good shout. It’s all about timing, as far as I’m concerned- and that timing is what makes “continuity” exist. Each new part gets to be one with old parts for a period - this maintains continuity. All at once? That means there was a break in continuity.
Just wow! Didn’t expect you to turn your writing into physiological thriller 😵💫
Off topic: Star Trek in any form makes me happy :D
Haha! Seems like a positive outcome, so thank you!
Beautiful article. Well researched and thought provoking. Again, possibly because the pre summation rings in a confirmation bias due to my journey, which is full of horological ups and downs, unlike the rest who have a steady climb. And yet, I am the sum of my experiences. The same wrist that once wore a Simplicity also wears a Moonswatch now. With equal passion and fervour in the plotting to get each of them.
FKD, thank you for taking the time! The same wrist groans in agony too, but we shan’t dwell on this!
Wtf just happened
Hahahahaha this comment made me LOL
Good God man, that was epic. My brain hurts, in a good way. So creative.
😅🤝
Bloody ‘ell 😵💫😵💫
😂 that all?
That was a trip!
😂 thought so.
I’m halfway through and the flippancy with which you conflate consciousness, memory, and emotions…I’m having a hard time looking past that in your thought experiments.
“Think of it like a software update. iOS 1.0 might be unrecognisable compared to iOS 18.0, but each iteration built on the last.”
Software is a bad analogy for the Theseus paradox. iOS 18 builds on top of and adds more to iOS 1, it’s not a case of iOS 1 being refactored to use differently written functions and libraries that are functionally equivalent but the actual code maybe looks different. Using the ships analogy, maybe iOS 1 was a dinghy while iOS 18 is an aircraft carrier. They both float on water sure, but that’s about where the similarities end.
Okay I was so close to the end there lol. Yeah, I think my main contention with this (other than the infuriating realization that you’re sitting there smug having eaten up all us readers’ time) is that the self is an illusion. Surely you’ve read enough about psychology and neuroscience to know the self as we perceive it in ourselves doesn’t exist, and therefore to predicate a philosophical thought exercise on its transformation is pointless.
Other than laugh, what else can I say beyond asking: how long until I get the email notifying me you’ve unsubscribed? 😂
Oh I’m sure I was the one who got the email I’d been unsubscribed
Yes I was alluding to your dissatisfaction
WTF 😳…. I’m dizzy 😵💫 and still trying to piece my mind back together . Where the hell did you even come up with this? And I might even ask where the impetus for this thought experiment even originated!? I literally had to scan the last third of it to avoid a total brain meltdown! Thank God, the last bit of it kind of helped me regain some semblance of sanity. So relieved to look around and see that I still have my collection, such as it is. I just hope I can get to sleep tonight.
Seriously I’m questioning your sanity momentarily 🥴🤧🤫….still love you though brother 🫥🫡☝🏻🥂
Haha! My sanity was always in doubt, but this originated from an old piece I read about human beings and the essence of us as people, and in light of AI, if we were able to be reprogrammed into an AI format which is sustained forever, does this mean we don’t die? Is an actual heartbeat required, or is our consciousness continuing, sufficient to say we are alive? You should watch that new Jennifer Lopez movie called ‘ATLAS’ - on the topic - I enjoyed it.
Thanks for the tip 🎩🫡
That’s what she said
I just remembered that quantum mechanics has shown that it is indeed possible for an object to be in two places at the same time (as highlighted in the seminal film “What the *%@§ Bleep do We Know” …. Not quite sure how but I feel comforted a bit somewhat after reflecting on this 🥴😬 after this read 😝😑🫥
“Wormholes and watches” is a good topic perhaps? LOL!
Someone beam me to geneva rn
Sure Scotty, stand by.
Not sure I’ve regained my bearings after that one. A wild ride. I’m going to stick with ones mindset and attitude. Loved the end about the evolution and accumulation of knowledge, love and appreciation over decades. I’m also not convinced we can full articulate and understand all that makes us, us. The soul, the essence, call it what you will. Consciousness still not fully understood. Aren’t we all Thesus’s ship with cell turn over? So where is the collector residing in us? Or perhaps the collector is a passenger on the ever changing ship.
All of us being Theseus’s ship is a good shout. It’s all about timing, as far as I’m concerned- and that timing is what makes “continuity” exist. Each new part gets to be one with old parts for a period - this maintains continuity. All at once? That means there was a break in continuity.
What makes a collector is their attitude. Not their knowledge or collection that’s on the arm.
Read to the end man!