this post was submitted on 30 Jul 2023
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If another perfect copy of you existed, you be okay with being killed? That's fucking weird.
The "Ship of Theseus" example is how our bodies work normally, the transporter makes a new you out of separate matter in another place. Nothing implies a transfer of consciousness, just an exact copy of you is there. Of course, I realize that for the purposes of the shows and movies, none of this is a concern, but a real version of this would be ethically fucked up.
In practical terms, the transporter in order to preserve quantum identity, would need to be reproducing you at the same time as it destroys the old you. To be widely accepted by society, it would need to preserve consciousness continuity, so you'd briefly feel being in two places at the same time, then just at the destination.
Now, a power failure mid transfer... wouldn't be pretty.
A transporter that can recreate you with all your memories can also recreate you with new Transporter Corp (R) approved ones. I think I'll pass.
not necessarily. having the transporter means we have figured out how to make exact one to one copy of an object on a molecular level. that doesn't mean we understand how the informations in human brain are organized and that we can change them.