Introducerenfilosofieseminar9

Temedediscuie
Celedouabaloanedesapun
Sufluintropaletadefacutbaloanedesapun.Balonulseumfla,darinlocsaleliberez,illassase
dezumflelaloc.Apoisufludinnousidaudrumulinaerbalonuluirezultat.Evorbadeunsingur
balonsaudedouabaloane?
pt.discutie:Aicisevedemaiclardespreceevorba:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ISKime4z5sA

Thunderprow
TheGreeksweregreatshipbuilders.Theybuiltaparticularlyfinewarshiptoa
specialdesignwithareinforcedhullcapableoframmingenemyboats.Itwas
saidthatthegodsthemselveshadsoblessedtheshipthatitcouldneverbe
sunkorevenfailtosinkanyshipitattacked.
Havingmademanysuccessfulraidstheship,nicknamedThunderprowbyits
happybandofslaveoarsmen,hadtocomeinforrepairstoitsprow.Infact,it
neededsuchextensiverepairsthatalmosthalfofallthetimbershadtobe
replaced.
Becauseoftheesteemthecraftwasheldin,theoldtimberswerekept,even
downtotheoriginal,nowbentandrusty,nails,bytheproudcitizens,withaview
tomakingasculpturetributesomeday.
ThenextyearsawThunderprowinmoreexploitsanditneededanotherthirdof
itstimbersreplacingthefollowingwinter,althoughitwasnotedthatnoneofthe
newtimbershadsuffered.Infact,thefollowingseason,itsoonbecameapparent
thattheoldtimberswerenotreallytakingthestrainaswellasthenewones.The
captain,Sorites,orderedherbacktotheboatyard,whereheinstructedthatall
theremainingoriginaltimbersbereplacednow.Andtocompletethejob,he
orderednewsailsandotherfittingsthroughout,sothattheentireboatwouldbe
atitsbestfortheannualnavaldisplay.
Asbefore,alltheoldbitswerestoredcarefully.Onlynowafunnything
happened.WhilstThunderprowwasoutscuttlingenemyships,thegoodpeople
oftheportcarefullyrebuilttheshipusingalltheoldtimbersandnailsnotasa
warship,true,thebitsweretoodamagedforthat,butasalandmonumentto
theircrowningnavalachievement.
WhenThunderprowreturnednexttoportitwasindisgrace.Timeaftertimeat
seaithadeithermissedshipsithadbeenattemptingtoram,orhadcaused
insufficientdamage.Inonecaseithadactuallysnappedoffsomeofthefamous

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prowonanenemywhichhadcarriedonvirtuallyunscathed.
Whenthewearycrewreachportthistime,theystartmutteringandpointingat
something.There,sittingontrestlesisanotherboatwithaspeciallyreinforced
hull.Infact,theonlydifferenceisthatthisonehasaplaqueinvitingthepublicto
comeonboardtheoriginalThunderprow.
Idiots!Soritesremarked,uncivilly,totheproudtownsfolk.Bybuildingthis,our
boathasceasedtobeThunderprowandnowtheonlyboatblessedbythegods
isaheapofjunksittinghereuselesslyontrestles!
Thetownsfolkinsistedthatthiscouldnotpossiblybethecase.Why,therewas
noquestionthatthecaptainsboathaddefinitelybeentheoriginalThunderprow
afterthefirstrefit,andindeeditwasstilldefinitelytheonlyThunderprowafter
thesecondrefit.Andthethirdminorrefitcouldhardlyhaveaffectedits
authenticity.Washeseriouslysuggestingthatpullingoutthelastoriginalnail
hadsuddenlyceasedtomakeitthefamousboat?Atthemost,alltheyhaddone
wasmakeasecondalsooriginalThunderprow.Anyway,iftherewasreallyone
originalThunderprowitwasnotanearthlyone,butamentalidea,inthemindof
thedesignerperhaps.Soritesthoughtthiswasabsurd,andinsistedthatthe
museumshipbedismantledandeachbitburntinturn,andthenailsmelted
down.
Thiswasdone,butitdidntseemtoimproveThunderprowsperformanceonthe
seas,andforyearsafterwardspeoplemutteredthattheCaptainhadburntthe
onlyGreekwarshipblessedwithinvincibilitybythegods.
WhichofthethreeshipswastheoriginalThunderprow?
[sursa:101PhilosophyProblems]
pt.discutie:CazuldiscutatdeobiceidecatrefilosofiecelalcorabieiluiTezeu.Vezi,depilda:
http://www.logicalparadoxes.info/theseusship/
http://www.scientificblogging.com/geeks039_guide_world_domination/cool_thought_experiments_
ii_ship_theseus
LumplsiGoliath
Mariaprimestecadouobucatadelutcarepoatefimodelatasinutrebuiesafiearsaintruncuptor
pentruaseintari.BucatadelutoincantaatatdemultincatiipuneunnumeLumpl.Dupao
vreme,Mariasehotarastesamodelezeostatuiedinbucatadelut.Zissifacut.Statuiaprimestesiea
unnumeGoliath.
SuntLumplsiGoliathdouaobiectediferite,sauunulsiacelasiobiect?
(sursadeinspiratie:AllanGibbard,ContingentIdentity,JournalofPhilosophicalLogic4(1975),
pp.187221)

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Oricelucrutrebuiesafiedoualucruri
Aceastapotriviturmatoruluirationament:
(1)Pentruavorbidespreoasemanare,trebuiesavorbestidesprecelputindoualucruri(douasau
maimultelucruripotsemanaintreele,maimultsaumaiputin).
Pedealtaparte,stimca:
(2)Oricelucrueidenticcusine.
Si:
(3)Lucrurileidenticesuntasemanatoare(fiindcaidentitateaeorelatiemaitaredecat
asemanarea).
Din(2)si(3)decurge:
(4)Oricelucruseamanacuelinsusi.
Iardin(4)si(1)reieseca:
(5)Oricelucrutrebuiesafiecelputindoualucruri.
Ceesteinneregulacurationamentuldemaisus?
Indispositionalproblems
Stevehasaverypleasantcharacter,alwaysreadytohelpothers,andneverin
toomuchofahurrytostopandhaveafriendlychat.Sowhenhisoldschool
friendMartinwenttoseehiminhisgreengrocersshop,hegotanastysurprise.
Hello,Steve!Rememberme?saysMartin.
Waityourturn,Illdealwithyouinaminute,saysSteverudely,turninghisback
onhisoldfriendandfiddlingwiththeflycatchingmachine.
Uh,Steve,itsme,Martin!saysthesame,afterafewminutes.AtthisSteve
turnsaroundandwithamutteredoathtellsMartintotakehiscustomelsewhere,
innouncertainterms.
AdistressedMartinmakessomeenquiriesoftheneighbouringshopkeepers
perhapsitissomethinghehasdone?No,no,theshopkeeperssay,the
greengrocerisnotoriousforalwaysbeingbadtemperedandthrowingpeopleout
ofhisshop.Infact,theonlypeoplewhostillgotherearethosewhoactuallylike
tohaveanargument,andeventhentheymaynotgetserved.
Thatsveryodd,saysMartin,healwaysusedtobesofriendly.Itwasafundamental
partofhisnature.DoesntStevehaveafriendlydispositionanymore,heenquires?
Theothershopkeepersthinknot.Afterall,Stevereliablybehavesinanythingbut
afriendlyway.AndMartinisinclinedtothinkhisoldfriendhasundergonesome
sortofchangesincetheyfirstkneweachother.Infact,thenextday,helearns
fromthefloristthatStevehadgonetoashopkeepersassertivenesscourse,and
hadbeeninstructedtoalwaysadoptanaggressivenotewhendealingwith

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peopleinordertoavoidbeingtakenadvantageof.Theflorist,whohadtakenthe
samecourse,saysittookthemaverylongtimetogetthehangofthis,butnow
he,likeSteve,routinelysayscertainassertivethingstoanyonehemeets,not
justcustomers,toovercomehisfriendlybutweaknaturewhichpeoplemight
otherwisetrytotakeadvantageof.
DoesStevehaveafriendlydisposition,ornot?
Stillindisposed
MartinthinksthefloristiswrongtosaythatStevestillhasafriendlynature,
underneathhisunfriendlybehaviour.Afterall,hehaschosentobeunfriendly.
Butthen,lateron,hediscoversfromthechemistthatStevehasalsobeen
takingspookyhormonestomakehimselfmoreaggressive.Thechemistsaysits
agreatshame,really,becauseheusedtohavesuchanicemanner,andnow
hesreallyabitofamonster.However,nowMartinthinkshisoldfriendmaystill
bebasicallyagoodsortbuthisnaturehasbeenchemicallyinterferedwith.He
goesbacktoseeStevetotrytopersuadehimtostoptakingthedrugs,but
Stevethrowsabasketofrottenfruitoverhimforhistrouble,wreckinghisnew
suit.ThenStevelooksabitguilty.Sorry,Martin,hesays.Imafraidbusinessis
goingjustterriblyatthemomentandImmortgagedtothehiltImnotreally
myselftoday!
ShouldMartinforgivehim?Orisitnow,ashethreatens,amatterforthe
policetodecide?
[sursa:101PhilosophyProblems]
Curajosulofiter
Sapresupunemcacriteriulinfunctiedecarespunemcaopersoanasiapastratidentitateaarfi
capacitateadeasiaminti(omarepartedin)faptelesaledintrecut.Iaracumsanegandimlaun
generalbatran.Acestaafostdecorat,pevremeacanderauntanarofiter,pentrufaptelesalede
vitejieinlupta.Iarcanderaelevlascoalaprimaraafostpedepsitfizicpentruofaptanesabuita.
Tanarulofiterisiaminteadepedeapsafizicadepevremeascoliisidemajoritateafaptelorsalede
atunci.Batranulgeneralisiamintestedefaptelesaledevitejiedepevremeacanderauntanarofiter,
darnusimaiamintestedeintamplariledepevremeacanderaelevlascoalaprimara.
Potrivitcriteriulnostru,artrebuisaspunemcabatranulgeneralnumaiesteacelasicuelevuldela
scoalaprimara.Darintrucatidentitateaesteorelatietranzitiva(dacaA=BsiB=C,atunciA=C),
iarbatranulgeneralesteacelasicutanarulofiter,care,larandulsau,esteidenticcuelevul,artrebui
saspunemcabatranulgeneralesteacelasicuelevul.Totusi,nusepoatecaambeleafirmatiisafie
adevarate.Estebatranulgeneralidenticcuelevulsaunu?Inplus,estecevainneregulacucriteriul
nostrupentruastabiliidentitateauneipersoane?
(sursa:ThomasReid,EssaysontheIntellectualPowersofMan,1785,EssayThree:OfMemory,
Chapter6:OfMr.LockesAccountOfOurPersonalIdentity)

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Teleportoruldefect
Sapresupunemcatraimintrolumeincareafostinventatateleportarea.Oameniiofolosescinmod
curentpentruasedeplasa.Mecanismulesteurmatorulcorpulomenescestescanatpanalanivel
subatomic,informatiaetrimisaladestinatie,iaracolocorpulpersoaneicareseteleporteazaeste
reconstituit(lanivelsubatomictotisuntemconstituitidinacelasitipdeelemente,asacanue
importantsafiefolositeaceleasisubparticuledincareeraconstituitcorpulmeulaplecare).
Desinuaiutilizatpanaacumteleportareacamijlocdetransport,totiprieteniitaiteasiguracanuai
decesaitifacigriji.
Dupaceintriincabinadeteleportare,asteptiuntimp,insanuseintamplanimic.Usasedeschidesi
tehnicianulteanuntacateleportorulaavutomicadefectiuneinformatiaafosttransmisala
destinatie,iarcorpultauafostreconstituitacolo,darnuafostincadistrusaici.Vaasigurcaastfel
dedefectiunisuntfoarterare!spunetehnicianul,dupacareadauga:Situatiaetotusiusorde
remediat.Incameraalaturatavisevafaceoinjectieletala,iarcopiadumneavoastra,careaajuns
dejaladestinatie,vafiinstiintatadeacestincident.
Aceastapropuneretisepare,probabil,inacceptabila.Darinacestcaztepotigandilaocontinuare
paralelaapovestirii.Inaceastavarianta,dupaceiesidinteleportordescopericaaiajunsla
destinatie.Untehnicianteanuntacalapunctuldeplecarecorpultaunuafostdistrus,dincauzaunei
defectiuniateleportorului,asacatuestiacumdoarocopieinutila.Tisepropune,bineinteles,sa
acceptiinjectialetala.Totulestesprebineledumneavoastra!spunetehnicianul(unalttehnician,
dedataasta).Elimpede,insa,caprindumneavoastrasereferalacorpultaucarenuafostdistrus
lapunctuldeplecare.
Potistabilicaredintreceledouapersoaneestitu?Iarincazulincarenupotifaceasta,aimaispune
caaisupravietuitaccidentuluideteleportare?
(dupaoideedin:DerekParfit,ReasonsandPersons,OxfordUniversityPress,Oxford,1984)
pt.discutie:vezisihttp://forums.philosophyforums.com/threads/teleporterthoughtexperiment
30492.html