Permutation City post

First off as far as philosophy, this book really shatters my idea of personal identity. The people-copying that is done in the book creates a digital self in a digital environment that is so realistic the resulting pair must be told whether they are the real or the synthetic one. Also, the work that Paul does with his copies about changing the times of calculations and computer time led him to hypothesize that there were, in the end, 25 Paul Durhams, all with their own memories and ‘selves’, with pasts and memories in time and space. The book challenges the reader to think about what does make a person: experiences? Those can be simulated. Memories? Those too can be changed and modified. Emotions? In this book, even emotions are capable of being rerouted and changed for the digital people to maximize their well-being. One such individual puts himself on a perpetual rock wall climbing exhibition very much like Sisyphus and his stone, and his emotions are tailored to love every minute of it. When individuals can manipulate their surroundings, memories, body images, emotions, and everything else, I think personal identity deteriorates completely.

The book also deals with the ethical issues that can be raised when thinking about people making copies of themselves—what ramifications would be present in an age when digital copies are possible? The situation with Maria's mother made me think: can an individual decide for someone else that they should be copied? Maria wanted to save her mother from dying more than nearly anything, and she was doing everything she could to get funding to do so, even though her mother didn't want her to. Would this be like keeping a person who is very near-death on life support against their will? I think there is something inherently wrong about going against a person's will in regard to that person's well-being, even in death.