Philosophy Discussion Forums | A Humans-Only Club for Open-Minded Discussion & Debate

[Kirsten Schuder]

It depends. If I still have my memories, then yes, I would notice. If I didn't have my own memories, then I would simply have been turned into you.

[Aileen Kreiss]

who we are is such a complex question, but I believe that it's a mix of who we are inside ( who we are born as) and what we become as our experiences shape us. Who we are constantly changes from day to day, even moment to moment. The answer to your question is complicated because if it's not my consciousness ( my thoughts and memories that transfer to your body, then what "me" does? My soul? Is my soul my personality? My emotions? That's the tough part about this question. My answer to the question is no, if I woke up in your body with your memories I would not still be me. There might be a part of "me" in you, some personality, emotion, or presence that comes through, but your thoughts and memories would affect who "I" am and change me. The "me" that was in you, would also change you in that case, maybe not a lot but there would likely be some small differences. You and the me in you would become a new entity, an "Us".

[Ms Chet]

I think I understand where this question is headed.
If I wake up in your body and retain my own memory, I'll definitely freak out when I see myself in the mirror.
But if I wake up in your body with your memory instead of mind, it'll be like just another day, no changes, no difference.
So, in essence, we are one human nature with unique physical differences.

[Mounce574]

Taking some time upon thinking about this, I think I would notice. I have your memories, but my personality, belief in certain things, and interactions with other people would challenge those memories. First, my personality would likely clash with the memories. My opinions on certain topics are not completely the same as yours. The few people I associate with would know something was vastly different about me.

[NaghmaQ]

No, I don't think there would be any difference to be noticed at all. A difference can be noticed if there is a change noticed. But if the body, mind, memories, bed, everything is changed, then the new you won't feel a change. There has to be a reference and a reference can be there with knowledge.

[Anil G]

The interpretation is simple. Mr. A shifting the memories and body from him to Mr. B and living B's life with B's memories. So, would there be any difference to notice?

I say, No, there would no difference in my opinion.
Our life is based on our memories. Each individual is distinguished by their memories. If there are no memories then there's no life as such. If someone lost their memories then still they create new memories by living the lost memory life.

If two person's memories are getting combined then it would've been different to notice but not on shifting it.

[Surabhi Rani]

The uniqueness and individuality of my soul would never dissolve or be destroyed even if I went to sleep in my body in my bed with my memories, and awoke in your body in your bed with your memories instead of mine. I think in that case, I would still identify myself, although I might not be practically aware of it. So, there would certainly be a difference to notice.

[Fredrick Felix Mnjala Maneno]

If my memories were replaced by yours then there'd be nothing to remember and hence would not notice any difference. There would be nothing to notice as I would essentially be you in all aspects.

[Just Jacki]

If my memories were replaced by yours then there'd be nothing to remember and hence would not notice any difference. There would be nothing to notice as I would essentially be you in all aspects.

I respectfully disagree.
Our belief-systems, which make up our self-image, reactions, understandings, opinions, and interpretations, are not intact at birth. Those are all formed by what we're taught by meaningful and authoritative people in our lives. Usually parents, other family members, teachers, clergy, religious text, peers, and doctors...in our formative years. And when we're older, our bosses, politicians, news programs, celebrities, etc. are all constantly bombarding us with what we "should" think and feel and believe.
The way we're taught is by what we're told, in one way or another. More often than not (quite a bit more often, actually) we aren't even aware that the things we're told, what we hear, and things we read are even influential, much less have the effect they have on us developmentally as a youth, and on our beliefs and biases when we're older. And it's even more rare that we remember any of what affected us to that degree at all.
Therefore, memories are not a defining part of our makeup. They're just a reference to some of the things we've experienced. And not everything we experience will influence, or alter, our belief-systems. Granted, some will, but most won't.
So it wouldn't matter if we woke up with different memories, or different bodies, or in a different bed. Our belief-systems, which include how we see ourselves, (our self-image) wouldn't have changed. Maybe gaining some of the "new" memories might make us reconsider some of our belief-systems, but we'd still be ourselves. We wouldn't "disappear" and take over someone else's existence!
Put it this way: if you are a "glass is half empty", negative, angry, anti-social, mean-spirited, vengeful kinda guy, waking up in a different bed, with a different body, and different memories will NOT magically change you into a happy, easy-going, free-spirited, don't-worry-be-happy, "glass is half full" kinda guy. Even IF the guy whose bed you woke up in WAS. Or is. Well, you know what i mean...
As far as noticing a difference, maybe we wouldn't at first. But we would, soon enough. Example: I dislike coffee. Say I woke up in Scott's body with his memories, and he loves coffee. Because his memories tell me I have coffee every morning, I'd probably expect to have coffee that morning as well. My ingrained "real" self would question that expectation immediately. Just because I don't remember disliking coffee doesn't mean I'm going to automatically start liking it. Because that memory is the result of my liking (or not liking) coffee, NOT the deciding factor. (I would probably even question why I'd ever even began the ritual of having coffee every morning in the first place.) And so it would happen with other things we had opposite opinions of, I'm sure.
Once again, I'm not saying we'd even be aware of there being any discrepancies. But things would be noticed on some level. Depending on how in-tune the person was with himself to begin with, of course.
And because we're all connected, acceptance of, [and] the situation in general, would probably result in an extremely smooth transition, if not an instinctive and unconscious one.
Believe me, though, memories or no memories, I'd feel it deep in my gut something was really, REALLY different if I woke up and started living Scott's life instead of my own. You can trust me BIG TIME on that.

[Kathie Slief Turner]

If I woke with your memories, how could I still be myself? My past and my life experiences have made me who I am. I wake up with your memories,your life experiences, how could I still be me. I know Scott may see this differently with the concept of cores. If they are similar, as I understand it, there would be no change. I understand that philosophically this may be true, but in reality I still believe as I stated.

[Mari Inez]

The answer would depend, in my opinion, on whether I still had my memories and my sense of self/consciousness. If I had no recollection of the person I am upon waking in your body with your memories, and I had no sense of ever having been anything other than what your memories and your body say, I don't think there would be a noticeable difference.

However, even without my body and my memories. If the conscious is like a diver of a car but can remember anything about the car they used to drive then yes, there would be a noticeable difference.

This question brings up good ideas about consciousness and the self.

[Nganyi Humphrey]

This question is truly thought provoking. Therefore, I can add to it that since I woke up in your bed as you then might it be that you woke up in my bed as me. In this regard, I think none of is will notice the change and we would go on living life as if everything is normal. It raises eyebrows really.

[Seetha E]

Not sure how I would feel. I think I would have an uncomfortable feeling as I would feel something amiss and would not be able to figure out what that was with no memory of my own self. It would sure be unsettling.

[Seetha E]

The uniqueness and individuality of my soul would never dissolve or be destroyed even if I went to sleep in my body in my bed with my memories, and awoke in your body in your bed with your memories instead of mine. I think in that case, I would still identify myself, although I might not be practically aware of it. So, there would certainly be a difference to notice.

I like the way you put it. It is proven that water and earth have memory of their own, and as humans are made of these essentially, all the memory won't be lost. In this state we will be in between, unable to figure out what exactly is missing. Sad place to be, I guess.

[Seetha E]

I confidently state that I would still be me because my soul would not change. My outward appearance is like clothing you can change but the soul remains constant.

Interesting line of thought. Would you be uncomfortable though, in this "new clothing." I find that thought disturbing.