I find the Ship of Theseus particularly interesting. As you mentioned, over the span of approximately 10 years, all our cells are replaced. Which raises the question, are we still the same person? To this, I would say that time and experience are the intangible parts that are not accounted for. And even with all our prior knowledge of when our ship sets sail, we are never the original ship again. Both physically and functionally. As a ship and a person grow older, we can't weather the same storms, or you might say we navigate them with new perspectives. The ship is ever-changing, in both form and function, regardless of how parts are exchanged, because every new experience gives the ship new perspective on the situation and how to tackle it. Now, the concept of the second ship I found quite fascinating because that throws a question out there that is highly interesting. This takes the route of string theory and infinite universes. Because every part of a new ship and a new experience is no longer part of the original ship. They will never be identical ships because they will not face the same storms or reach the same destinations simultaneously. They are no longer part of the same future from the first divergence, although they have a shared past. This is more in line with how evolution and natural selection work. Which of these ships can be successful in weathering storms? If both, then maybe there is no change to the original design, but if one fails painfully, and the other is successful and thrives, we have, if not better parts, but maybe better history to pass to the next ship. History. That brings up a new exciting question. Does history, and transfer knowledge serve as a functional replacement for evolution? For past species, survival is based on changes in how the species function, but does knowledge circumvent that? The concept of the Ship of Theseus and its sister/brother ships raises that question. If both ships sail side by side or send logs and maps to each other of their journey. Do both ships now have more knowledge and understanding than if they were one single ship. That would essentially say that the introduction of language has replaced the need to "change" the ship, if we can now use the same ship in smarter and more successful means, and avoid the whirepools, seamonsters, etc... Can experience and countless successes and failures of the Ship of Theseus be a neverending cycle? Maybe the Ship of Theseus is not one person but represents the potential of the human organism, as not one person, but a collection of human thoughts and culture over the sea of time. Aside: I am just a programmer and hobbiest writer, so I am not sure how philisophical this reads, but I would be interested in your thoughts.

@nikodemlewandowski379

8 күн бұрын

Thank you for your thoughtful comment! I love how you point out that time and experience are crucial parts of our identity. It's true-our memories, experiences, and the knowledge we gain shape us in ways that go beyond just our physical makeup. Your comparison with string theory and infinite universes is really interesting. It highlights how, once we start down different paths, our experiences and identities become unique. Even if two ships start off identical, the storms they face and the journeys they take will make them distinct over time. This really captures how our lives work too-our experiences shape who we are in unique ways. Your thought that the Ship of Theseus could represent the collective human experience is a beautiful way to look at it. It suggests that we're all part of a larger story, constantly evolving and growing together. Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. They really add a new layer to the discussion, and it's great to see such deep engagement with this classic philosophical puzzle!

Maybe I will have more luck here. Why did you edit yours and delete my comment under your previous material arguing the nonexistence of God?