To understand this thought experiment it is important to accept the
premise (temporarily, if you disagree with it) that conscious experience is solely
the outcome of activity of the brain.
There is nothing in addition
to this, such as a soul or spirit (though of course much of conscious
experience is derived from sensory input from the external world). The human brain and nervous system are
structured in such a way as to make possible this activity. When the brain cannot engage in this activity
we are no longer conscious. Therefore
when we die there is eternal oblivion.
Now imagine that right now you are participating in a laboratory
experiment in which a scientist has wired your brain up to a machine that is
precisely equivalent to your brain (maybe another physiological brain or maybe
a computer) and this machine is detecting and replicating exactly all the
activity of your brain.
Since we have assumed that conscious experience is the outcome of
activity of the brain and nothing in addition, then we can reasonably assume
that the machine is experiencing consciousness and that its conscious
experiences must be exactly the same as yours (what it sees, hears, feels,
thinks, remembers, etc.).
Now ask yourself these questions:
Am I --- (your name) or am I the machine?
Can the scientist
or anyone else help me answer this question?
When the scientist
announces that the machine is to be turned off, do I want this to happen?
When the scientist
announces that the machine has been
turned off, what will be my reaction, if any?
All answers and discussion are welcome, either in the ‘Comments’
section below or direct to me by email.