Counterintuitive Facts (74): If a Teleporter Disassembles and Reassembles You, Is That You, or Your Clone?
PremiumSwampman: Yesterday's you is already dead. Today's you is a new person with those memories
I. Suppose you are famous philosopher Donald Davidson. You go for a walk in a swamp. Suddenly lightning strikes. Miracle A: This lightning completely vaporizes you. Not a single atom left. You're dead. Miracle B: Simultaneously, this lightning strikes a dead log nearby. Miraculous quantum fluctuations instantly rearrange this pile of log atoms into a person exactly like you. With all your memories, personality, scars, fingerprints. Even the driver's license in your pocket is identical.
II. This Swampman crawls out of the swamp, brushes off mud, goes home. His wife notices nothing unusual. His colleagues notice nothing. He continues writing your book, loving your wife, living your life. He claims "finally back from the swamp." Question: Is this swampman you?
III. From physicalism view, he i
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