Hypothetical Situation: A cloned loved one...

[Aristeia]

What defines a person? Personality? Still there. Physical appearance? Still there. Memories? Still there. It's an exact replica. Yes, she would be dead. One procedure later (assuming that it doesn't take too much time): she's back. All it takes is time (and most likely money, which Bob should pay for).

No SHE isn't back, SueB is, SueA is dead and will never experience anything ever again. It's two different people even if they are 99.999% the same.

[Reeve]

What defines a person? Personality? Still there. Physical appearance? Still there. Memories? Still there. It's an exact replica. Yes, she would be dead. One procedure later (assuming that it doesn't take too much time): she's back. All it takes is time (and most likely money, which Bob should pay for).

She's back from the perspective of the people around her, but from Sue-1's perspective, she's dead. Her perspective has ended. Sue-2 may have all the same thoughts/feelings/memories, but it's a different consciousness.

[Ynna]

She's back from the perspective of the people around her, but from Sue-1's perspective, she's dead. Her perspective has ended. Sue-2 may have all the same thoughts/feelings/memories, but it's a different consciousness.

What, outside personality and memories, is part of consciousness? If all her thoughts and actions are exactly the same, she's the same person. Sure, her first body might be dead, but she's alive again, in a second body. She only missed out on the period of time between her dead and resurrection

[Woebegone]

I don't know how I'd feel about dying and having some copy just take over. Silly as it may sound, it would feel like something was stolen from me and given to someone else.

And since the idea of myself being replaced by a clone makes me uneasy, I don't think I'd do that to a loved one.

[Reeve]

What, outside personality and memories, is part of consciousness? If all her thoughts and actions are exactly the same, she's the same person. Sure, her first body might be dead, but she's alive again, in a second body. She only missed out on the period of time between her dead and resurrection

Not true, because if you were to create Sue#2 before Sue#1 dies and then ask Sue#1 if she fancies a little death, I'm sure she would say no, because her consciousness would end. She and Sue#2 standing next to each other don't share the same consciousness.

Imagine there's a new teleporter technology. It creates an exact clone of you on the opposite side of the world, then drops the current you into a meat grinder. Would you be OK with using that as a regular form of transportation?

[Aristeia]

What, outside personality and memories, is part of consciousness? If all her thoughts and actions are exactly the same, she's the same person. Sure, her first body might be dead, but she's alive again, in a second body. She only missed out on the period of time between her dead and resurrection

Umm, no. Just implanting memories doesn't mean you brought that person back, it's a clone, a replica, as in not the same. If someone cloned you while you're alive and they're 99.99% similar to you and you die the next day you aren't still alive in that clone. You would be dead. It's the same situation here.

[Ynna]

Imagine there's a new teleporter technology. It creates an exact clone of you on the opposite side of the world, then drops the current you into a meat grinder. Would you be OK with using that as a regular form of transportation?

If it has a 99 or 98% success (as in: not dying) rate. Yes, I totally would.

Umm, no. Just implanting memories doesn't mean you brought that person back, it's a clone, a replica, as in not the same. If someone cloned you while you're alive and they're 99.99% similar to you and you die the next day you aren't still alive in that clone. You would be dead. It's the same situation here.

Okay, thanks. I now understand the consciousness bit. But if a person needs to die first before the procedure would work, I don't see any problems with it. You die (sucks) and get back again (awesome).

[Aristeia]

Okay, thanks. I now understand the consciousness bit. But if a person needs to die first before the procedure would work, I don't see any problems with it. You die (sucks) and get back again (awesome)

Well it's still a replacement, so "you" don't get back again =(

[Reeve]

If it has a 99 or 98% success (as in: not dying) rate. Yes, I totally would.

The very definition of that sort of teleporter is that a clone takes over for you and then you die.

[Relentless]

With memories and with the ability to choose the age of the person? Yes, I would, because you'd basically become immortal and get to spend forever with whoever you choose to. You wouldn't ever fear disease, accidental death, etc.

Without memories or the ability to choose age, no, I wouldn't. Then it's just someone who looks like someone I loved that doesn't know me or love me back. That would be worse than losing them in the first place. Or you'd be creating someone with memories that don't match their age and they'd probably go insane. Also bad.

[Dashield28]

Probably not. If they are dead, they are dead having a testube clone replace someone will not be the same.

Also, the neural pathways cannot be replicated accurately in your brain, you can clone the brain but it would have to develop its own neural pathways.


If I may quote the uncertainty principle for ya.

You can know the position or momentum of a particle but not both at once. Meaning that the neuron firing in your brain cannot be accurately duplicated.

In essence, all human cloning will give you is a person who will have to relearn everything and will be shaped by their new surroundings.

Your family member, loved one, child clone may not even know who you are until you tell them. Even then, their personality, traits, beliefs, values will all be reshaped by new surroundings.

[Ynna]

The very definition of that sort of teleporter is that a clone takes over for you and then you die.

I don't see that as dying, since it's only temporary. I meant being permanently lost or completely changed.

[Reeve]

I don't see that as dying, since it's only temporary. I meant being permanently lost or completely changed.

What's only temporary? Your clone is already doing stuff on the other side of the planet for 10 minutes when they decide to kill you on this side of the planet. You have no consciousness or awareness of what your clone is doing over there, nor will you after they drop you in that meat grinder because you'll be DEAD. Something else that looks, sounds, and acts exactly like you is now doing stuff on the other side of the planet. You've been turned into soylent green.

[Syantaa]

No, I wouldn't be able to live with a clone after seeing the actual person die.