What is your opinion of this thought experiment?

[Randy888]

the metaphysics of identity, the Ship of Theseus is a thought experiment that raises the question of whether an object that has had all of its components replaced remains fundamentally the same object. The concept is one of the oldest in Western philosophy (watch the vid below) Do you agree or disagree with this Notion? there is no true answer.

I agree it remains the same ship

i disagree it becomes a different ship

Updates

+1 y

For those to lazy to watch the vid. If you have a ship, over time every single peirce of the ship was replaced due to rot. If no Original part of the ship remain, is it still the ship of Thesus?

[sensible27]

It depends on how you define the ship. If the ship is only the ship if it's made up of the same atoms, after say any atoms is removed it ceases to be the same ship. If there's another ship which's atom it as replaced with, after 50% it becomes another ship. If you define it by properties it stays the same ship. Just depends on your definition of same and possibly ship

[Randy888]

I believe that it only remains the same ship if the owner (thesus) thinks of it as the same ship. That might be why its called "identity metaphysics" For example. If i buy a car and wreck it and have every single part of it replaced. If i thought of it as a different or "new" car (outside of legal documentation) it would be a "new" car simply because i recognize it as a different car. But if i recognized it and saw it as the same car, It would remain the same car because its the identity that i associate it with. ( Im so going to fail presenting this Notion to my class for a project on Monday) 🥲

[sensible27]

You might have better luck defining a starting point. Say.. saying and defining what "identity" is and what the definition is and how you got to your conclusions and so on.

[OddBeMe]

Every two years humans have difference bodies. Our organs, skin, etc, replenish cells. So are we the same person? I think so.

It’s all semantics. It’s the idea of self. We define our car as “our car that we own.” Yet if over two years every part gets replaced, it’s still “our car”.

[Randy888]

precisely

[OddBeMe]

It’s a great thought experiment tho. I nearly majored in philosophy with all classes I took. Not sure what job that would entail…

[Randy888]

im taking my first philosophy class next year

[OddBeMe]

I think it should be required. We have four years of algebra, that most don’t need.

[jshm2]

Yes as only that ship carries that ID and crew

Ship of Theseus is junk philosophy, and sounds deeper than it really is.

Every cell in the human body is replaced over three years, thus by Ship of Theseus logic you are never really "you". Your passport and IDs can never be "valid" as what you have photographed is no longer all there.

But you know that's not the case, as only you can be you, and any clone will never be.