by norker » Sun Feb 09, 2014 7:46 am
"you" are dying, moment by moment, as cellular processes swap out molecules and proteins. you are dying as skin cells slough off, you are dying as depleted blood cells are dumped unceremoniously into the cords of billroth and consumed, you are dying as your hard-won carbon stores are exhaled back into the atmosphere. what is important is not the gunk of "you", but the information.
and the transporter doesn't change that.
actually, that's not it. it just makes it up. all of it. your identity, your skill profile, everything. you think you remember growing up in georgia, entering medical school and then starfleet? nuh-uh. the computer instilled those memories into you when you were created at the far end of a transporter beam, crafted by algorithms to fulfill a mission. at the end, you may as well be phasered, because you're going to be "beamed" right back into the organic materials stockpile to wait until your AI starship needs another away team. better luck, maybe you'll at least meet a cute alien chick next time.
"you" are dying, moment by moment, as cellular processes swap out molecules and proteins. you are dying as skin cells slough off, you are dying as depleted blood cells are dumped unceremoniously into the cords of billroth and consumed, you are dying as your hard-won carbon stores are exhaled back into the atmosphere. what is important is not the gunk of "you", but the information.
and the transporter doesn't change that.
actually, that's not it. it just makes it up. all of it. your identity, your skill profile, everything. you think you remember growing up in georgia, entering medical school and then starfleet? nuh-uh. the computer instilled those memories into you when you were created at the far end of a transporter beam, crafted by algorithms to fulfill a mission. at the end, you may as well be phasered, because you're going to be "beamed" right back into the organic materials stockpile to wait until your AI starship needs another away team. better luck, maybe you'll at least meet a cute alien chick next time.