Human Consciousness: does teleportation preserve self (Humans)

by David Turell , Saturday, July 14, 2018, 18:25 (2112 days ago) @ dhw
edited by David Turell, Saturday, July 14, 2018, 18:31

Teleportation involves digitalizing a person's body and reproducing it elsewhere. Is one's self the same is the question raised by this philosopher. I cannot edit this as all the thoughts must be presented from the author who believes self is an illusion:

https://aeon.co/ideas/if-i-teleport-from-mars-does-the-original-me-get-destroyed?utm_so...

Comment: What is true is that the body I had at the beginning of my life and that which grew into full adulthood is not the body I inhabit now. Much of the bone structure is the same and much of the original neurons in my brain are the same or direct descendants. What is the same is my memory of my life and my current personality structure. I have an immaterial image of myself which is a lifelong image. I am not the same as the author's image of a long lasting poker club which is the same but with all new members.

I think my teleported twin would look like me but like the author I do not think I would think of me as me. I doubt if we can digitalize an immaterial soul. So I agree with him even if I start from a different premise, that a soul exists.