Who Would You Be After Death: The Revival Thought Experiment

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the philosophical implications of a thought experiment concerning identity and consciousness after death and revival. Participants explore whether a person who is revived after clinical death is the same individual or a new "experiencer," considering aspects of memory, consciousness, and personal identity.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants propose that if a person is revived without significant brain damage, they remain the same individual as before death.
  • Others argue that the concept of a "new experiencer" needs clear definition to understand its implications on identity.
  • A participant draws a parallel to the transporter problem, questioning whether a perfect copy retains the same consciousness as the original.
  • There is a suggestion that consciousness is unresolved, leading to uncertainty about whether the experiencer has changed post-revival.
  • One participant questions the ability to differentiate between the "new" person and the old if memories and thought processes are intact.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on whether revival results in the same individual or a new experiencer. While some assert continuity of identity, others highlight the philosophical complexities surrounding consciousness and personal identity, indicating that the discussion remains unresolved.

Contextual Notes

The discussion reflects limitations in defining consciousness and identity, as well as the assumptions regarding memory retention and brain function during revival. The implications of these factors on personal identity are not fully explored.

Would it be you?

  • Yes

    Votes: 8 88.9%

  • No

    Votes: 1 11.1%
  • Total voters
    9
atjta
Messages
17
Reaction score
0
OK, let's say you died. For the sake of simplicity let's say the cause of your death was just your life processes suddenly stopping. All your memories, etc., remained in your brain. Now let's say you were revived by some new tech. QuestionL would it be YOU who were now experiencing in the body or some new "experiencer"?
 
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What type of question is this? We are made up of our genetic make-up and experiences...nothing more.
 
atjta, I think you'll need to make a clear definition of "new experiencer" and why there would be one. Otherwise, we're not going to understand what you mean.

People do undergo clinical death, and they are revived. Barring significant brain damage, they are the same person as before the traumatic event. I don't know of any credible evidence that suggests otherwise.
 
Math Is Hard said:
People do undergo clinical death, and they are revived. Barring significant brain damage, they are the same person as before the traumatic event. I don't know of any credible evidence that suggests otherwise.

I think this is the same problem as the transporter problem - would a perfect copy of a person still have the same consciousness as the original?

I believe this boils down to the question of consciousness, which is unresolved, so there is no known correct answer. There is no way to know if the experiencer has changed or not; not even for the experiencer. For that matter, how do I know if my consciousness now is the same as it was two hours ago? Perhaps that person is for all practical purposes, dead, and I simply have the memory of it.
 
Math Is Hard said:
People do undergo clinical death, and they are revived. Barring significant brain damage, they are the same person as before the traumatic event. I don't know of any credible evidence that suggests otherwise.

Bingo. Still me.
 
If it's your brain, then no matter what happens to it, it's still you. If all the processes in your body stopped for some arbitrary amount of time, and then started up again, the person that awakes would be the same person as before.
 
With the same memories and thought processes and whatnot, would you even be able to differentiate between the "new" person and the old?
 
I think the question has been sufficiently answered. Thanks, all.
 

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