Randall R Randall rrandall6@juno.com Wrote:
>*I* do not disagree that the two are different people.
>It did seem odd to me that *you* expressed the same view
Why?
>you have previously stated that you believe (correct me if I
>err)that two physical instances of exactly the same pattern of
>mind are really only one person.
Yes, but what does that have to do with the thought experiment we were discussing? These two are not of the exact same pattern of mind or even approximately so, one is terrified and in despair and the other is not. Also, the amount of time that passed since the two copies were made by itself is irrelevant, the important thing is how much they have changed not how long ago they were made. When it gets to the point that one is having thoughts the other is not then there are two people, if not then there is only one, and it doesn't matter if it takes one minute or one decade.
John K Clark jonkc@att.net