|
Post by Uesugi on Apr 17, 2007 17:36:05 GMT -5
This is something we discussed in Philosophy today, and I am curious.
So there is this ship, captained by a man named Theseus. This ship, as told in Greek legend, sailed around the Mediterranian, encountering the gods, sirens, etc. After fifty years of sailing, the crew docks the ship, and Theseus retires, no longer wishing to sail.
The ship is preserved, but over time the wood rots. As the planks rot, and the mast rots, as everything that is wooden rots, they are replaced, and the rotted wood held elsewhere. So, the question is, with this new wood, is the Ship of Theseus still the Ship of Theseus? Why, or why not? And if not, when did it stop becoming the Ship of Theseus?
As an add on to that: Say this rich lord buys all the rotten wood, all the wood that was discarded, and puts it together as a ship, exactly the same as it was before it all was replaced. So, you now have two ships, exactly the same, and both are called the Ship of Theseus. Which ship is the Ship of Theseus: the new one or the one made of rotten wood? Or are neither the Ship of Theseus? Or both?
For Clarification: The Ship of Theseus is a title. A title, not a sign of ownership. Theseus called it that when he first built it, but afterwards, it kept the name.
|
|
|
Post by Dagothkitty on Apr 17, 2007 17:59:36 GMT -5
Neither. The ship was the ship of Theseus when he was sailing it. When he retired, it quit being the ship of Theseus.
|
|
|
Post by Uesugi on Apr 17, 2007 18:23:17 GMT -5
That's the opinion that I took, actually... but Dagoth...
If you keep replacing the parts of a car, keeping it current, is it still the same car? Same premise, different way of asking.
|
|
|
Post by me on Apr 17, 2007 20:58:39 GMT -5
For something as complex and human as an old world ship, the crew were the only parts that made that ship what it was. It was the blood that was put into it, and the hearts of the men who originally crewed it. After that the name is sustained by legacy.
Something more pedestrian such as a car remains the same no matter how many parts you put into it. If you have a tiberon, and customize it to your hearts content...when the police do catch you for street racing its still a tiberon.
|
|