A philosophical question of sorts…

How many (and which body parts) prosthetics would be needed to make you a different person? Most people have no issue with people with prosthetic limbs or an artificial heart. But what if you have both? Or what if all your bones were artificial?

What if artificial brains were a thing? Would having a prosthetic/artificial brain and/or head make you a fundamentally different person? Or what if your entire body EXCEPT your brain was artificial? What if you donated your brain to a different person? Would that person still be that person, but with your brain, or would they be YOU…and you had someone else’s body?

Or is it the idea that your brain is what makes you *you* and gives you value/identity an erroneous idea?

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Abstraction · 61-69, M

It comes down to a definition of consciousness and identity. Science is struggling with consciousness, interesting topic.
Sorry on the run so my terminology will be loose here.
My view is that there is a 'self' that is unique that goes beyond computation power of a computer and corresponds roughly to the, 'I think and therefore I am.' As long as that person, that consciousness, exists, even if they underwent personality changes or forgot things from their past - it's the same person, same existence.

There is a lot more behind my answer in terms of neuroscience, philosophy and world view than I've expounded on.

helenS · 36-40, F

Your question was the subject of a heated philosophical debate in antiquity;
please read this article about the "Ship of Theseus":
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseus
Today, we see it as a semantic problem, not a philosophical one.

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@helenS Yes, well spotted. I do view the question as different when applied to human beings due to my views of consciousness. Since consciousness is a disputed topic I also appreciate views that differ from mine.

helenS · 36-40, F

@Abstraction I understand that you see consciousness as the cornerstone of personal identity.

Abstraction · 61-69, M

@helenS A cornerstone. The human mind is the most complex structure in the universe we've yet encountered. The neuroscience is really interesting. So much to wonder about. Some posit it may be an example of strong emergence. Or... not.

Iwantyourhotwife · 22-25

You will still be you. The prosthetics are not a part of you .-.

An even deeper question. Is your brain the mind/identity you are??

SoulAsylum · 31-35, M

Brain if your brain is different its not the same person

KiwiBird · 36-40, F

Ego is not a dirty word

Don't you believe what you've seen or heard

Moosepantspatty · 31-35, M

Animus or Soma?

REMsleep · 41-45, F

The only body part in question for me is the brain. All of those other parts are mechanical but the brain is responsible for our display of conciousness.
I don't think there will ever be brain transplants but if there were I'd suppose that person would be in someone else's body.
I watched video of that monkey getting a head transplant and he blinked and stuck out his tounge. I couldn't really tell if he was really there. It was weird. Made me think.

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