• Buddahriffic
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    12 hours ago

    I’d argue that identity and memory are the same thing. Like if you lose your memory, your identity becomes as strange as anyone else’s. Or if you’re a copy of someone else, you won’t know it unless you were told and would think you’re just that person when you wake up. Like if there was a transporter malfunction where it didn’t destroy the original copy. You’d have one copy at the original site thinking the transport just didn’t work and another one at the destination going about their life while Harry wonders how to tell Janeway.

    • cynar
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      12 hours ago

      Identity is as much a social structure as a personal one. E.g. in star trek, when Will riker is duplicated. Both have continuity of memory, but Thomas has his continuity of identity broken. Though he doesn’t realise this until he meets his eigen twin, who’s been continuing on. Even though both are nominally identical at the moment of creation, Will’s continuation of his career maintained continuity of identity. Thomas Riker had his broken by being stranded. Hence why Thomas changed his name, while Will continued using Will.