The Star Trek “Transporter” . . . and am I still me?

[Multicolored Lemur]

It breaks down my body getting the information, and then reassembles me at the distant location using different atoms and molecules.

Physically, I’m no longer the same person.

However, with memories, feelings, thoughts, etc, etc, I am the same person.

———

https://adarshbadri.me/philosophy/teletransportation-paradox/

This person discusses some of the philosophy.

 

[AgnosticBoy]

Interesting!

Here's a thought experiment from your article in the OP...

His argument is simple: the teletransporter works by scanning your brain and body cell by cell, destroying them, beaming the information to Mars and reconstructing you there.

Although the person on Mars looks, feels and thinks just like a person who has been sent to sleep and zapped across space, the claimant argues that what actually happens is that you are murdered and replaced by a clone.

To Stelios, this sounds absurd. After all, he has taken the teletransporter trip dozens of times, and he doesn’t feel dead. Indeed, how can the claimant seriously believe that he has been killed by the process when he is clearly able to take the case to court?

Still, as Stelios entered the teletransporter booth once again and prepared to press the button that would begin to dismantle him, he did, for a second, wonder whether he was about to commit suicide. . .

This not only brings up an ethical issue, but also questions about the self.

I can probably deal more with the latter. I don't view consciousness itself as being material. So when the body dematerializes during the teleportation process, consciousness still remains. But this raises another question of if consciousness only comes with awareness or does it also include thoughts, memories, feelings, etc. And that I don't know. I don't think it's provable because you wouldn't be able to recall any experience that you don't remember. Unless consciousness has access to some other type of memory that's not part of the brain.

On another thread, you brought up Star Wars, and I felt not cool enough seeing i haven't kept up with it, lol. But, I have kept up with Star Trek. I've even seen the 2 most recent movies and loved both them, the first one more.

 

[Multicolored Lemur]

But, I have kept up with Star Trek. I've even seen the 2 most recent movies and loved both them, the first one more.

You might be ahead of the curve.

I’m familiar with Star Trek TOS, meaning “The Original Series” for people reading along, and NG or Next Gen. But I’m only familiar with some of the movie.

The stories certainly do bring up a lot of life choices, that’s for sure!

 

[Scooter]

I'm curious how Star Trek teleportation relates to Christianity. Maybe I'm missing something.