Interesting Questions to Ask

Summary:

Explore how you feel about Replication. Also, hard questions for the Stored

Interesting Questions to Ask

narfanator 10 Jun 2008 04:18

Considering Replication:
Again, from Kevin: (we had a big long interesting discussion about this stuff tonight)

Here's a though experiment: If I scan you, and then print out a copy, and then shoot the original in the head… It's the same set of operation in a scan/print, just out of order.

(This is because I have very little problem with the idea of replication, based upon my own ideas about what is me)

Stored and Medicine:
First, note that as the Stored are /simulation/, the diseases, etc, are simulated as well.

One of the major advantages about being a simulation in a virtual environment is the "pause" button. Given that surgery works a lot better if you have something that's "paused"… One the other hand, you're paused, and stuff is happening to you.

Stored Organ Banks; given that I could have an exact copy of one of my healthy organs "sitting around" ready for transplant… Do the Stored have a problem with having elements of themselves digitally replicated?

Re: Interesting Questions to Ask

TauCeti 10 Jun 2008 21:23

My own views with respect to replication are mixed. Part of the problem is that they get into the concept of what is “self”, in other words: metaphysics. And my views on metaphysics shift to partially mirror those of people around me. The upshot is that my views on replication will change over time, and are barely stable right now.

I cannot deny the world view where an exact copy of me is just that: a copy. Neither can I deny that “I” am a collection of chemical processes that could be duplicated elsewhere, thus the concept of a copy is largely immaterial.

I suppose I would feel more comfortable with replication if I fully understood how the human brain works. That way, I could say “yes, this is chemistry. Yes, I understand it. Consciousness is just a side-effect of this system, and is nothing special.” Then I'd probably be willing to have that chemistry copied, and consider the copy to be as much “me” as I am. Until then, I'll be uneasy about replication, even though I know that such a view is irrational.

Re: Interesting Questions to Ask

Colin_Fredericks 15 Jun 2008 16:03

In reverse order:
Given that the Stored use Cog instead of Bio, I would imagine that their equivalent Bio 10 has even better ways of doing this. But I think they would have little problem beyond squeamishness with seeing their beating heart, simulated, hanging mid-air in front of them and pretending that it has blood flow in and out.

A Pause button sounds reasonable to me, as long as the Stored in question says that it's ok. It would probably still be useful in terms of, say, anesthesia.

Yes, you have nailed exactly why replication kills your character. The original is dead as if they had been disintegrated. This is indeed a philosophical question; the game present the answers to some philosophical questions as rules. SA has a distinct philosophical stance on some items, in addition to being concerned with game balance and the ease of the GM's job. :)

Re: Interesting Questions to Ask

Colin_Fredericks 15 Jun 2008 16:07

I should mention that these are nothing but the canonical answers. One of my favorite GM's guides was for In Nomine, where they told you, "Here's the canon. Here's what might happen if you change some of it." I don't mean to stifle discussion at all; I find it interesting and useful.