Philosophy Discussion Forums

I liked the way you described this. My thinking is the same, I can be myself but still be you. The cells share information which means we'd share relationships and traits between my body and your body. The only way we'll have this outcome is if the cells are morphed over a long period of time to give the cells a chance to communicate.

Silvo wrote: ↑November 17th, 2022, 6:19 am The brain, for instance, requires 100% of certain cells to function normally. I am not a guru in science, but I guess all these cells interact and share "information." So, if atom A in me is replaced with atom B from someone else, atom A will interact with my remaining atoms, bringing in new traits and at the same time absorbing new ones from his new environment. In the end, when all my cells have been replaced, they will have left a copy of their traits in the new ones. At the same time, the new cells will have inherited their traits from their previous host. Therefore, I think it's possible for me to still be me and also be you, but only if the cells were morphed gradually. 

The real Silvio Omutsiambo

You see, I looked in the mirror the other day and realized I had become a completely different person from who I was fifteen years ago. It is funny because using your philosophy, I may have slowly morphed all these while without even realizing it. If you showed my 10 year old self a picture of me today, they may say I looked familiar but I'm not sure they would agree that it is me in the picture. We change everyday and we don't even notice it. Yet, the more we change, the more we remain the same.

I don't think so. This current version of myself is based on all the life experiences I've encountered, some of which have been dependent on my physical body. My unique combination of genetics and upbringing has determined who I am, but my perception of the world and interactions with others also heavily depend on external features like my race, gender, height, weight, etc. While gradually changing my appearance to create an identical copy of you would begin to morph my interactions and experiences with the world around me, it wouldn't erase all of the life experiences that have shaped my personality up to this point. I also wouldn't have your unique set of experiences that define you, so having your physical appearance alone wouldn't make me you.

I think that at first yes, it could be a carbon copy of the same self, but what surrounds us would change it gradually and in the end make them different. The example of twins comes to mind: although they’re genetically identical and are supposed to be the exact same copy of each other, with time not only bodies change, but also personalities and how each self reacts to the surrounding environment.

The mind plays a key role of being oneself. Analogously, think of two atom-by-atom-identical selves living apart in two different universes. The environment in each would be different, thereby affecting how each develops over time.

Yes I believe you would be the same person. I believe the soul is separate from the body and not contained within atoms.

If your entire composition gradually changes to match mine, it raises questions about identity. The answer depends on philosophical perspectives—some argue it would still be you, while others may contend it's a different entity.

I understand it in concept not literal action of becoming you. As gradually knowing what you know, think, perceive, or understand and your viewpoints and the reasoning as to why you do things. Then truly I would say you and I are one.