Single Idea 13382

[catalogued under 9. Objects / E. Objects over Time / 9. Ship of Theseus]

Full Idea

That the planks are rearranged as a ship elevates the sense of mystery, because arrangements matter for ships, but if they had been arranged differently we would have the same intuition - that it still counts as the same object.

Gist of Idea

Rearranging the planks as a ship is confusing; we'd say it was the same 'object' with a different arrangement

Source

Michael Jubien (Possibility [2009], 1.4)

Book Reference

Jubien,Michael: 'Possibility' [OUP 2009], p.17


A Reaction

Implausible. Classic case: can I have my pen back? - smashes it to pieces and hands it over with 'there you are' - that's not my pen! - Jubien says it's the same object! - it isn't my pen, and it isn't the same object either! Where is Shelley's skylark?