Alicorn comments on What makes you YOU? For non-deists only. - Less Wrong

2 Post author: cleonid 10 November 2009 07:59PM

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Comment author: RobinZ 10 November 2009 11:19:56PM 2 points [-]

Omega comes to you with a proposition - heck, I may be able to do it myself in a few decades. I offer to create N atomically precise clones of yourself on the other side of the planet, and give each one the dollar value of all your assets. You can set N as high as you like, provided there's a value that will make you accept the bargain. The price is that I'll kill you ten seconds later.

Quick confirmation: you'll kill the dude on this side of the planet - not any of the ones on the other side. Right?

Assuming that's the case, and assuming I can quell my guilt at ripping you off for a substantial sum of money, and assuming proper guarantees are put into effect so that I may be certain that the clones are properly created and financed before the original is destroyed ... N = 2. RobinX can give RobinY the money for a plane ticket back to the States and use the remainder to sign up for philosophy classes at Adelaide, and all shall be well in my book.

I think you'll find many of us willing to bite this particular bullet. I had the same reaction when Dennett and Hofstadter described a similar thought experiment in The Mind's I.

Comment author: Alicorn 10 November 2009 11:24:34PM 2 points [-]

The price is that I'll kill you ten seconds later.

Will you do it while I'm unconscious? If so, N=2 here also (provided "the other side of the planet" is not a hostile environment).

Comment author: RobinZ 10 November 2009 11:28:40PM *  1 point [-]

Ooh, another good caveat - maybe we should just put in the general good-genie clause: "Assuming you're not ripping us off..."

(Actually, I'm not that bothered about the while-I'm-unconscious part.)