Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Our spring member drive has ended, but it's not too late to give. You have the power to help fund the essential journalism that keeps us all informed. Help us close the gap on our spring fundraising goal! GIVE NOW

Revisiting 'What Is Self, A Question Of Continuity' With Charlie Huenemann On Thursday's Access Utah

Charlie Huenemann is professor of philosophy at Utah State University. He is the author of several books and essays on the history of philosophy, as well as some fun stuff, such as “How You Play the Game: A Philosopher Plays Minecraft.”  He was recently on the BBC talking about a thought expiriment, "When Capt. Jean-Luc Picard beams aboard the Enterprise, do the carbon atoms that make up his body make the leap, i.e., are the molecules compressed into a data stream?  Or is he basically replicated aboard ship using his cellular coding, memories and other neural impulses — basically a blueprint of “him”?" That inquiry was made on BBC Radio4's “Naturebang.” On this episode of Access Utah, we discuss the inquiry and other philosophical questions about the self and continuity.