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Article 3067 of comp.ai.philosophy:
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>From: markc@smsc.sony.com (Mark Corscadden)
Newsgroups: comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.tech
Subject: red light / blue light scenario: a better forum?
Message-ID: <1992Jan23.194357.8713@smsc.sony.com>
Date: 23 Jan 92 19:43:57 GMT
References: <1991Dec20.004238.11206@smsc.sony.com>
Organization: Sony Microsystems Corp, San Jose, CA
Lines: 52

Just over a month ago I posted the following scenario concerning subjective
identity.  Sadly (from my point of view), almost no one replied.  If anyone
would be kind enough to send me email suggesting a better forum for this
kind of question than (comp.ai.philosophy,sci.philosophy.tech) I'd be very
grateful.

Special thanks to David Chalmers for sharing his views so candidly, and
for the reference:

	"_Reasons and Persons" (Part 3) by Derek Parfit
	  Oxford University Press

Also thanks to Bill Skaggs for the reference:

	the essay "Where was I?" by Dennett
	  in "The Mind's I" (edited by Dennett & Hofstadter)


(warning: duplicate of original article follows)

  | Subject: red light / blue light scenario
  | Date: Fri, 20 Dec 91 00:42:38 GMT
  | 
  | This is a simple though experiment that I made up about 15 years ago
  | to help myself think about the relationship between the physical brain
  | and my own subjective experience.  I mentioned it in a running email
  | conversation I've been having with someone and found out that our beliefs
  | concerning this scenario are diametrically opposed.
  | 
  | I'm posting this scenario in the hope that some folks will find it
  | interesting enough to explain what they think would happen and why.
  | In addition to sci.philosophy.tech, I've cross-posted to
  | comp.ai.philosophy because of the significant level of interest there
  | in the physical basis of subjective experience.
  | 
  |   Red Light / Blue Light Scenario
  | 
  |   You lie down on a bed which has a blue light on the ceiling directly
  |   above you.  Take a good look at the blue light above, and then close
  |   your eyes and relax.  Next to you is an identical bed, but this one
  |   has a red light on the ceiling above it.  At this instant a perfect
  |   physical duplicate of you is created instantaneously and placed on the
  |   bed next to you.  You are not physically effected in any way whatsoever.
  | 
  |   The light above you was blue when you closed your eyes.  Do you think
  |   it's possible that you will see a red light when you open your eyes
  |   again?  This is speaking from a purely subjective point of view; what
  |   would it be like to *experience* this scenario?

Mark Corscadden
markc@smsc.sony.com
work: (408)944-4086


