Ancient philosophers used to ponder the question, “Let’s assume that you buy a new knife. Six months later you change the wooden handle alone, retaining the same blade. One year later you change the blade alone, retaining the wooden handle that you changed six months back. Are you now holding the same knife that you bought a year back or a different one?”
Or look at this question. Flight IC 945 takes off on Monday, with a set of crew members operating a certain aircraft and with a bunch of passengers. On Tuesday, Flight IC 945 takes off with a different crew operating a different aircraft and with a completely different bunch of passengers. How can both flights be IC 945, just because they are operating on the same route? Nothing else is the same.
None of you know anything about me, except that my name is Raj. I am just a virtual entity as far as you are concerned. Suppose tomorrow, someone starts a blog on another URL, calls it Plus Ultra and signs his name as Raj, will you know the difference? Worse, suppose someone steals my password, uses my URL and posts blogs in the name of Raj, will it matter at all to you?
Or I use the same URL and same blog name Plus Ultra, but start posting in the name of Zabernosky, would you care? Will the virtual entities Raj and Zabernosky mean the same to you, as the content and style will be the same? Will the images of both these characters be the same in your mind? Or Raj will be clean-shaven and Zabernosky will have a long beard?
Profound questions. Profound questions. Must think.
Or look at this question. Flight IC 945 takes off on Monday, with a set of crew members operating a certain aircraft and with a bunch of passengers. On Tuesday, Flight IC 945 takes off with a different crew operating a different aircraft and with a completely different bunch of passengers. How can both flights be IC 945, just because they are operating on the same route? Nothing else is the same.
None of you know anything about me, except that my name is Raj. I am just a virtual entity as far as you are concerned. Suppose tomorrow, someone starts a blog on another URL, calls it Plus Ultra and signs his name as Raj, will you know the difference? Worse, suppose someone steals my password, uses my URL and posts blogs in the name of Raj, will it matter at all to you?
Or I use the same URL and same blog name Plus Ultra, but start posting in the name of Zabernosky, would you care? Will the virtual entities Raj and Zabernosky mean the same to you, as the content and style will be the same? Will the images of both these characters be the same in your mind? Or Raj will be clean-shaven and Zabernosky will have a long beard?
Profound questions. Profound questions. Must think.
4 comments:
Are you now holding the same knife that you bought a year back or a different one?
Yes & No. Hopefully that will shut those pesky philosophers.
How can both flights be IC 945, just because they are operating on the same route?
As far as Indian Airlines is concerned, any flight can be IC 945, even if they are not flying the same route.
....will you know the difference?........, will it matter at all to you?
Yes & Yes.
To the questions in last para, answers in no particular order - Yes, No, Yes, No.
There! You happy now? From now on, leave all this profound crap to me and stick to your original style. :)
Hey, VC, don't stereotype me, man. Here I am trying to show that I am not a clown and am capable of coming up with such profound stuff, and you clip my wings and call my bluff!
Now i have serious doubts that the password hacking and proxy posting has already begun. Who are you and what did you do with Raj?
Usha, Raj who ?
Post a Comment