ON THE METAPHYSICS AND ETHICS OF PERSONAL IDENTITY:

A VISIT WITH A TWENTY-THIRD CENTURY FAMILY

Charles Tandy, Ph.D.

http://www.doctortandy.com

http://www.erraticimpact.com/~topics/html/issues_of_subjectivity.htm#top

Story 1. Once upon a time there was a family. All members of the family sooner or later grew aged or became ill and died. Yet the family survived: There were offspring and offspring of offspring down even to the present day.

Story 2. Once upon a time there was a family. None of the members of the family ever grew aged or became ill or died. They observed however that as they gained new experiences and learned new knowledge, their emotions and interests and values and motivations and identities changed. Their previous selves thus no longer existed, and their present selves would not exist for very long.

Story 3. Once upon a time there was a family. None of the members of the family ever grew aged or became ill or died. On a continuing basis a record was kept of their constantly changing atomic structure (physical blueprint). The technology was available to assemble atoms and beam into existence any of their previously existing selves.

Story 4. Once upon a time there was a family. None of the members of the family ever grew aged or became ill or died. Records now existed on all selves of every individual who had ever lived. There existed a blueprint of the atomic structure of every self of every individual who had ever lived at any time. The technology was available to assemble atoms and beam into existence any self of any individual who had ever lived, as well as selves who had never previously existed.

Moral of the Stories. Story 1 is historical fact. Story 2 is not (yet) fact, but appears to be highly probable in the foreseeable future. Story 3 is speculative (a thought experiment). Story 4 is even more speculative, but apparently represents a moral imperative. Does not benevolence or love or the Golden Rule require us to develop the necessary technology for universal resurrection of the dead? If I am correct that it is a moral duty or positive responsibility to love all neighbors, enemies and friends alike, all persons who have ever lived – then it seems we are required by God and/or ethics to resurrect all dead persons and to make the resurrections feasible as soon as possible (not just if we feel like it or think it will be easy). Once upon a time there was a family. Family responsibilities never end . . .

http://www.ria.edu/tandy2