From: Jeff L Jones (jeff@spoonless.net)
Date: Mon Apr 07 2008 - 12:52:51 MDT
On Sun, Apr 6, 2008 at 3:31 PM, Matt Mahoney <matmahoney@yahoo.com> wrote:
> Example: teleportation. It works like this. I step into a booth at point A
> and a copy of me is produced at point B. The copy at point A is slowly and
> painfully killed by being crushed between the soundproofed walls of the
> teleportation booth in a process that takes 24 hours. For $2 extra I have the
> option of having the copy at point A injected with an overdose of a narcotic,
> making the death fast and painless. But I have teleported hundreds of times
> both ways and can't tell the difference. I always come out at point B and I
> would rather save the money.
>
> Am I making the right decision?
It doesn't matter what you believe about identity... it's still cruel
and unethical to not give the original copy a painless death. You're
still causing the unnecessary suffering of someone, regardless of
whether you believe that someone is you. Would you spend the extra $2
if a random other person on the planet was going to get crushed?
Jeff
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