Would you use a transporter beam?

[AlexM]

The airplane is a physical object while a transporter is a disassembly - reassembly device. I would hate to appear at my destination with parts missing, or experience a power loss at a critical point, causing me to remain in a disassembled state, especially if my destination is not another transporter.

 

[tomBitonti]

I guess a big question is whether a person can be copied in a non-quantum sense.

If quantum state must be copied to preserve consciousness, then there can be only one of a person. This would be most convenient, since it simplifies the question.

But, if the quantum state doesn't matter, or is only important in a transient sense, then you could copy a person.

But also, if the quantum state doesn't matter, then continuity can be questioned without considering teleportation: The person that I am today may not be continuous with the person that I was yesterday.

Brings up a lot of messy questions: If I store my physical state sufficient to recreate myself, then destroy my physical state, am I alive or dead? (We have this problem in D&D when a person is petrified. What happens to their soul?)

Or, if quantum state matters, but only in a transient sense that it is regenerated on a regular interval when consciousness arises, say, in the morning after sleep, then we might see subtle differences between instances of a person which were created from the same physical base. The person on the far end of a teleporter could really be an evil twin.

For folks watching "Dark Matter", they are playing with this idea, with a transporter implementation which uses a biological 3D printer and copied memories to effect transportation. See episode 8.

Thx!

TomB

 

[Umbran]

The airplane is a physical object while a transporter is a disassembly - reassembly device. I would hate to appear at my destination with parts missing, or experience a power loss at a critical point, causing me to remain in a disassembled state, especially if my destination is not another transporter.

Dead is dead. Maimed is maimed. I fail to see how "missing an arm from a transporter accident" is worse than "missing an arm from a car crash".

 

[MarkB]

Just avoid the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation models.

“I teleported home last night with Ron and Sid and Meg
Ron stole Meggy's heart away and I got Sidney's leg.”

 

[Legatus Legionis]

.

 

[was]

No, I would not use it. I prefer the original me, though others might disagree.