A Chunk of Wood's Dilemma

A CHUNK OF WOOD’S DILEMMA

(A GLIMPSE OF TRANSHUMANISM AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE)

ABSTRACT

This paper journeys into the world of transhumanist mind,

artificial intelligence brain, and thoughts of strong opposing

claims. The former, resting their confidence on parades of

discoveries and inventions, thinking to naturalize intelligence,

emotions, and other anthropomorphism attributes of human species.

The latter, reluctant to embrace such proposition inasmuch as

their faith hinges on non-reductionist belief; the inexplicable

subjective nature of consciousness and personhood.

KEYWORDS: artificial intelligence, personhood, transhumanism,

bundles of impressions or series, singularity, consciousness,

dualism.

I. INTRODUCTION

Imagine a chunk of wood that came to life, with

consciousness you and I possess. His existence might be

accidental (evolutionist) or perhaps properly designed by someone

who created him (creationist). The situation that fits the

author’s philosophical inquiries is the story of Pinocchio. The

genesis of his life is not the topic I would like to venture

instead Pinocchio’s quests to fulfill his grandest dream to

become human worthy investigating. And just like every story

written for children, only this time for wandering mind of an

adult it all begun with;

Once upon a time, there lived a genius master wood carver

named Derek Parfit. He is so successful that every wood that his

hand touched becomes a work of art. Among his creations is a wood

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puppet he loves and adores named “Pinocchio”? This masterpiece

possesses life that even the master wood carver himself could not

explain how, when, and why. Pinocchio could do any other ordinary

boy does; he plays, talks, reasons, and wish. Yes this piece of

wood could wish so one day Parfit asked Pinocchio, “Son, what is

your greatest dream?” Pinocchio replied, “Father, (Derek Parfit

considers Pinocchio not just a creation but a son to him and the

latter considers him as his own father and not just his creator)

I want to become a real boy.” “But you are a real boy”, responded

Derek Parfit. “What I meant father is a real human being boy and

not just a boy made up of wood.” Parfit thought for a while and

smiled to Pinocchio and said, “I think I can grant your wish

son.”

This paper ventures into futuristic-philosophical world and

words of “artificial intelligence” created by Derek Parfit,

transhumanist, and “singularity” supporters. Is it possible for

something like Pinocchio to become human? A piece of wood with

subjective consciousness to become flesh and bone? For Pinocchio

to live, not just to exist? May reason be naturalized?

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II. AN EXISTING PHILOSOPHY BY A NON-EXISTENT SELF

Derek Parfit believed that reason and other anthropomorphism

attributes can be naturalized. That time will come that

science herself can create a conscious being, possessing

essential properties of human species originated from a non-

life material. They themselves can outwit us, and will

supersede our intelligence far, far ahead. This he calls

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artificial intelligence. His notions of AI (artificial

intelligence) started from his fascination of the theory of

“divided mind”. His philosophical and scientific conviction is

his tool of making the wooden boy’s wish into reality.

PARFIT: Pinocchio before I grant your wish I need you to

understand your real identity; “the Pinocchio” inside that wooden

body does not exist.

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio was surprised, puzzled, and was lost yet

he curiously responded to Derek) But father I am here. I can see

you, I can touch you, I can hear you, I can smell you, and I can

even feel your recent warm embrace. So I am here and I certainly

do exist!

PARFIT: (The master wood carver smiles at the pragmatically

empirical arguments of Pinocchio, but was not surprised how his

creation innocently responded that way because it is but innate

to Pinocchio. This is the very reason why he loves and adores

Pinocchio, his innocent but profound questions and reasoning) Son

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listen, 1we cannot explain either the unity of consciousness at

any time, or the unity of the whole life, by referring to a

person. Instead we must claim that there are long series of

different mental states and events-thoughts and sensations, and

the like- each series being called one life. Each series is

unified by various kinds of causal relation, such as the

relations that hold between experiences and later memories of

them. Pinocchio you are a “bundle of series” or “bundles of

impressions”.

PINOCCHIO: (The wooden boy is perplexed to the statements that

his father uttered. Although confused he remembers the previous

talks that he had with his good buddy and teacher, a cricket

named Jiminy about “dualism”) You see father, Jiminy told me that

I might be, 2a physical body, susceptible of being touched,

smelt, heard, and seen and an astral body made up of some sort of

mysterious ethereal substance. I maybe both physical and astral

beings.

1DEREK PARFIT, “Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons”, p.374

2 Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, A Peer-Reviewed Academic Resource6

PARFIT: (Derek Parfit not new to the theory of dualism was

surprised to the remark of Pinocchio. He never thought that his

creation would argue about dualism. Because first, the notion of

soul is vague; and second a chunk of wood talking about it is an

irony) Are you telling me son that you are two, a physical and an

astral? Let me tell you about “split mind theory” that draws me

into philosophy. Say you are presented with two things, on your

right a red ball and on the left a blue ball. When your right eye

has been blocked your Left vision is seeing only the blue ball

and when it is your left eye, you will behold the red ball. Hence

when ask, what color of the ball do you see, you will respond

blue or red depending on what eye was blocked. Hence you have

3two visual sensations-that you do, as you claim, see both red

and blue. In seeing each color you are not aware of the other.

You have two streams of consciousness, one is red and the other

is blue. Now Pinocchio, which of your two bodies is seeing blue

and red?

3 DEREK PARFIT, “Divided Minds and the Nature of Persons”, p.3737

PINOCCHIO: (He thought for a while, deliberating in his mind then

concluding that he could not tell which of the two bodies is

seeing red and blue) I think father it could be either, the

physical or the astral. Does it matter?

PARFIT: Yes it does, because you sound like others who believed

that there are two persons present in one body which is

unthinkable.

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio caught off-guarded yet admitted his

thoughtless answer and proposes another answer) Then let me

rephrase my answer father, I think 4there is only one person that

is involved, and not two. Because like what Jiminy cricket told

me I am both the physical and the astral body. So when I said

blue or red it is all me and no one else. The reason why I am

seeing blue or red only is that because something impedes my left

or right vision.

PARFIT: You are like Professor Mackay my son (Mackay believed

that in split-brain theory there is only one person involves and


that is the agent himself). I think and I believed that, 5the

number of persons involve is none. Remember the first thing that

I told you not to forget in order for me to grant your wish?

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio still hearing the lovely baritone voice of

Derek Parfit in his head) Yes father that I do not exist, that I

am a bundle of series or bundles of impressions.

PARFIT: That is correct! Now, allow me to explain why I told you

this and you need to listen carefully inasmuch as this will be

our key for you to become a real human being. You do not exist,

6you exist separate from your brain and separate from your body.

And maybe apart from your astral body if such really exists like

Jiminy claimed. But I violently reject his notion. The 7physical

theory is flawed because most of the elements that we consider

important about ourselves are purely psychological. These

psychological elements make up the self and are necessary and

sufficient for its survival. Anthony Quinton, in his “The Soul”,



7 NICHOLE JOHNSON SENIOR THESIS, “To Thine Own Self to be True”, p.39

rejects also the notion of astral being. He says, “In our

general relations with other human beings their bodies are for

the most part intrinsically unimportant. We use them as

convenient recognition devices enabling us to locate without

difficulty the persisting character and memory complexes in which

we are interested, which we love or like. It would be upsetting

if a complex with which we were emotionally involved came to have

a monstrous or repulsive physical appearance, it would be

socially embarrassing if it kept shifting from body to body while

most complexes stayed put, and it would be confusing and tiresome

if such shifting around were generally widespread, for it would

be a laborious business finding out where one’s friends and

family were. But that our concern and affection would follow the

character and memory complex and not its original bodily

associate is surely clear”. And the astral or soul theory 8has no

evidence to support it and much evidence against it. So the

physical and astral form of human being is just a myth, an

unsubstantiated theory.

8 DEREK PARFIT, “Reason”, p.24310

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio defending Jiminy’s thesis of the soul and

physical body immediately responded) But father perhaps what

Jiminy is talking about is that the true self is intimately

connected with a human being’s physical body that if it was not

necessary for his own identity, it is a condition of his

“selfhood”, 9In some way that we do not now understand, our minds

as well as our bodies come into being when these materials are

suitably combined and organized. The strange truth seems to be

that certain complex, biologically generated physical systems, of

which each of us is an example, have rich nonphysical properties.

Hence we have both physical and nonphysical properties. The

latter might be the soul/astral body and the former is our

physical body.

PARFIT: (The master wood carver was surprised to the vehement

conviction and as to how his son Pinocchio defended the cricket’s

dualism theory) Following Jiminy’s line of thought and just for

the sake of argument son,10the fact that mental states are not

physical states because they can’t be objectively described in9 THOMAS NAGEL, “A View From Nowhere”, p.51

10 THOMAS NAGEL, “A View from Nowhere”, p.2911

the way that physical states can doesn’t mean that they must be

states of something different? Or as Jiminy is saying an astral

state? What is scientifically and physically needed for one to

survive is the mere preservation of his brain. 11If all of my

brain continues both to exist and to be the brain of one living

person, who is psychologically continuous with me, I continue to

exist. This is true even if something happened to the rest of my

body but my brain kept intact since 12every mental event is an

event in the brain. Hence transferring my brain into another

capable and able host is a transfer of myself to another.

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio’s face turned pale and fear immediately

took his system) But father, how will I still know that it is

you? Would it not be problematic if say, your brain was

transferred to Jiminy cricket and Jiminy becomes you and I will

call him father? Please father I don’t want him to be my father.

I don’t like his brownish color, his fragile legs, and his

antenna.

11 DEREK PARFIT,” Reason”, p.263

12 DEREK PARFIT, “Reason”, p.24112

PARFIT: (Derek Parfit laughs loudly to the innocent but honest

comment of Pinocchio) Son, you are saying it because you are

looking at him in his physical state and not as “bundles of

impressions”. How about if you close your eyes now and just

listen to my voice imagining Jiminy’s brownish body talking to

you. Did it make you uncomfortable?

PINOCCHIO: (Pinocchio obeying his father closed his eyes

imagining Jiminy’s brownish body, fragile legs, and his

disturbing antenna but this time as the cricket opens his mouth

it is the voice of his father that he is hearing. The wooden boy

smiles to the contrast that he is beholding in his mind, a

cricket having the commanding voice of the master wood carver) No

father, it is ok now (giggling, smiling again that almost turns

into a violent laugh. But his smiles stopped and he immediately

opened his eyes when Jiminy talks now using Pinocchio’s own

voice).

PARFIT: (A sigh of relief and a confident smile is seen on

Parfit’s face) So you see Pinocchio, that’s how the bundle theory

works. My physical body might change but as long as my mental13

state subsists being bundles of impressions, I continue to

exist.13 The preservation of our mental state is necessary for

our existence. I want you to understand this son because as I

grant your ultimate dream, your physical wooden body will change.

But do not worry about the changes those are part of the

processes what is important is that I can fulfill your wish. Put

in the words of Locke, “mental continuity alone is necessary and

sufficient for our continued existence.” 14Locke realized that

provided our mental life continues on, we believe we will remain

in existence, irrespective of what houses can sustain our mental

life. Even in the vat (a brain in the vat). In doing this I will

need the help of my friend “the Blue Fairy”.

13 BARRY DAINTON, “The Phenomenal Self”, p.7


III. BLUE FAIRY’S MAGIC WAND

Derek parfit the master wood carver visits his friend the blue

fairy with the sole intention of asking her to help him grants

Pinocchio’s dream. The blue fairy is well-known for her

futuristic ideas and solutions called “transhumanism” and

“singularity”. The first 15 is a philosophical, cultural, and

political movement which holds that the human species is now only

in comparatively early phase and that its very evolution will be

altered by developing technologies. Traces of it are everywhere,

say bionic eyes to the blinds, bionic feet or arms to those whose

limbs are amputated, and the lists continue. The second 16both

speed and intelligence might be pushed far beyond human capacity

in a relatively short time. Observing the phase of our

technologies this anticipation are not only within the grasp of

mind but also within the grasp of hands. Thus Derek Parfit

thought if his bundle theory be combined with the blue fairy’s

15 SUSAN SCHNIEDER, “Future minds: Transhumanism, Cognitive Enhancement and the Nature of Persons, p.2

16 DAVID J. CHALMERS, “The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis, p.315

mind then something unnatural will about to happen, finding

itself a place to settle in discoveries and modern inventions.

(Derek Parfit went directly to the place where the blue fairy

spends almost her entire life; her own research and technology

center)

PARFIT: Good morning blue fairy. How are you? (Greeted Derek)

BLUE FAIRY: (The transhumanist and singularity champion looked at

the direction where the voice came from and a wide smile appeared

on her lips upon seeing Derek Parfit) Good morning master wood

carver. I am perfectly fine. How about you? How’s your adorable

son, Pinocchio?

PARFIT: (He smiles back and shakes the hand of the blue fairy)

Actually, Pinocchio is the sole reason why I came to visit you my

friend. He wants to become a real human being. And I thought with

your help we can grant the boy’s dream.

BLUE FAIRY: (The blue fairy is a bit surprised, thought for a

while and gesturing Derek to seat on a chair near him) Hmmmmn, I

think we can do it Derek but it will take time and inventions. I16

am thinking of an ultra-intelligent machine that is far wiser

than us, 17a machine that can surpass all the intellectual

activities of any man however clever. This machine could even

design better machine, there would be an intelligence explosion.

These machines will think for us, calculate, compute, and even

act things that need to be done in our behalf.

PARFIT: (Derek eyes widen and eagerly asked with curiosity that

of a child since he knows that the blue fairy has a solution to

offer) How can it help grant my son’s wish? (His smile almost

fading because he could not understand how those machines may

help Pinocchio)

BLUE FAIRY: Derek you are one of the keys. Is it not that you

have the knowledge of naturalizing reason, perhaps even emotions,

and experiences? Applying your Homo sapiens know how into a

machine and calling it artificial intelligence? Take for example

a calculator, it possesses one attribute of human being and that

is to arrive at the truth through computation. Let us go in the

field of medicine, the machine we use to support a patient

17 I.J. GOOD, “Speculations Concerning The First Ultra-Intelligent Machine”17

undergoing heart transplant. We can make it small, more effective

that will fit into someone’s chest, serves not just a support but

his very own heart instead of a real one from a dead person. If

we could pass down those attributes to such machines we can

definitely put other attributes that a homo sapiens has. We can

pass them to Pinocchio. Although our technologies nowadays are

not that advance yet I am confident given the phase of our modern

world it can, 18computing speed doubles every two subjective

years of work. Two years after artificial intelligences reach

human equivalence, their speed doubles. One year later, their

speed doubles again. Six months, three months…

(The master wood carver’s smile returned immediately, this time

much wider and the glow on his face is different from before)

PARFIT: Yes, it is speed explosion and combine with intelligence

explosion (singularity) Pinocchio’s wish is not

impossible,19suppose that within two subjective years, a greater

than human machine can produce another machine that is not only

18 ELIEZER YUDKOWSKY, “Staring at the Singularity, 1996 Article

19 DAVID J. CHALMER, “The Singularity: A Philosophical Analysis, p.218

twice as fast but 10% more intelligent, and suppose that this

principle is indefinitely extensible. Then within four objective

years there will have been infinite number of generations, with

both speed and intelligence increasing beyond any infinite level

within a finite time.

BLUE FAIRY: (The transhumanist champion nodded) Absolutely Derek,

all we need to do my friend is to plug in right program of

computations in his silicon brain to be (thus knowledge can be

downloaded, can be plugged in or out in the near future) and he

will not only possess mind but consciousness of human being as

well,20not just implementing the right computation suffices

consciousness, but that implementing right computation suffices

rich conscious experience like our own. And 21any system with

right sort of functional organization is conscious no matter what

it is made up of. Hence, right computation plus right functional

organization produces rich conscious experience like us. Emotions

such as happiness and sadness can be naturalized, so Pinocchio

20 DAVID CHALMERS, The Conscious Mind, p.294

21 DAVID CHALMERS, The Conscious Mind, p.29419

can become human or the very least a conscious anthropomorphic

being.

PARFIT: But Blue fairy my son wants to become a true human being

and not just a piece of talking wood possessing some human

attributes.

BLUE FAIRY: In due time my friend, one step at a time. First, a

device for harnessing consciousness of Pinocchio then putting it

in his silicon brain and plugging in the right computations,

securing their right functional organization and the rest will

follow.

PARFIT: (The master wood carver still reluctant) What if these

procedures failed and the only thing that made Pinocchio being

Pinocchio ceases to exist?

BLUE FAIRY: What do you mean master wood carver?

PARFIT: What if because of these procedures we lost Pinocchio’s

subjective consciousness, his bundles of impressions that lie in

his mind. 22Most of us believe that our brains sustain our minds;


it is not surprising that most of us believe that we go wherever

our brains go. So when we changed Pinocchio’s brain and

accidentally plugged in false information we might as well lose

everything that is my son.23 Chalmers speculates that the notion

of information might provide some sort of link between the mental

and the physical.

BLUE FAIRY: If 24the device that works by scanning and recording

neural structures responsible for psychological states such as

memories, intentions, and beliefs along with hopes, fears,

personality traits, and so forth. Is not possible then brain

transplant will be our next best option. In this procedure we did

not touch the vessel of Pinocchio’s mind which is the brain.

However we will need a host, a real human boy that can

accommodate Pinocchio’s brain. This option however has moral

implication and problem. Plus the unavoidable question, who is

who, the owner of the brain or the owner of the body where the

brain will be accommodated?

23 COLLIN MCGINN, “Minds and Bodies”, p.101


PARFIT: Certainly the owner of the brain since consciousness

resides in it. And I will do anything under my will, wit, and

strength to assure it. Even to the point of giving up my body to

Pinocchio to house his mental state.

(The Blue fairy just nodded her head not a sign of agreement but

rather an indication that she understands Parfit’s burning desire

to fulfill Pinocchio’s dream and that desire can change the

course of human species, even non-human, and perhaps, just

perhaps extending it to non-living things)

IV. A SKEPTIC CRICKET’S DOUBT

Let us assumed an anthropomorphic consciousness to the

cricket named “Jiminy”, as to how and when it begun we will

again never know. Let us just consider it as a gap like

evolutionist “consciousness gap”.

22

Jiminy heard about the wish that his student Pinocchio wants

and the earnest effort of the master wood carver to secure the

fulfillment of such a childish dream or maybe a scientific and

technological break-through in a not too distant future. He

decided to have a discursive talk with his one and only

student Pinocchio.

JIMINY: Pinocchio I heard that you wish to become human. Is

that true my dear friend?

PINOCCHIO: (The wooden boy smiles automatically not hiding his

emotion to his teacher and friend Jiminy the cricket) Yes

Jiminy and I am too excited. My father and the Blue fairy have

plans to do it although I cannot understand them I am hoping

that they will work as planned.

JIMINY: Are you not contented of what you are now? (Looking at

Pinocchio and measuring the sincerity of the wooden boy)

PINOCCHIO: No! I want to become a real boy, a human boy. And

my father and the blue fairy will make it happen. (In an

annoyed tone and voice)

23

JIMINY: What do you mean by a real boy and a human boy? (Still

measuring Pinocchio)

PINOCCHIO: A being who has brain, heart, emotions with fleshly

looks not what I am now a talking chunk of wood. (Pointing to

every part of his body that he mentioned)

JIMINY: But Pinocchio you have brain. The fact that you are

thinking to become a real boy is a manifestation that you have

brain. You have heart because you love your father so much.

And you have emotions because you have brain and heart.

Fleshly looks? Does it matter that you are a talking chunk of

wood but with perfectly functioning heart and brain? Mind you

my dear friend, flesh is hard to maintain.

PINOCCHIO: But I want to become like father, a human being.

JIMINY: The problem Pinocchio is this, would you be able to

survive after the process? Would it still be you after being

radically enhanced in all respects? 25And given your perception

of a person, after such radical changes, would you still be

25 SUSAN SCHNEIDER, Future Minds: Transhumanism, Cognitive Enhancement and theNature of Persons, p.4

24

you or would you actually bear little relation to the person

you were before? And if the latter situation is the case, why

would embarking to the path of radical enhancement be

something you value? For wouldn’t it instead a path which

leads to your demise, leading you away from your true self,

ultimately causing you to cease to exist? Hence you might lose

yourself in the flux of changes. Besides 26similarity is not

identity.

PINOCCHIO: Well I don’t mind it Jiminy my father told me that

I am “bundles of impressions”, that I do not exist and just

like Buddha’s “The No Self View” or “anatta” my existence is

not that important if I do exist, 27Buddhists concede that

selves or persons have “nominal existence” by which they mean

that persons are merely combinations of other elements. So if

the first bundle theorist like Buddha believed that existence

have other elements like my father’s bundles of impressions

why would not I?



JIMINY: Contrary to your father’s claim, 28the self is the

ultimate private object, apparently lacking logical

connections to anything else, mental or physical. Hence

conscious existence is everything Pinocchio.

PINOCCHIO: What do you mean Jiminy?

JIMINY: Existence for me is a miracle and consciousness that I

exist and living is a constant grace. 29We and other creatures

with mental lives are organisms and our mental capacities

apparently depend on our physical constitution. So what

explains the existence of organisms like us must also explain

the existence of mind. The very reason why you are thinking

the “bundle theory” and believing it (you do not exist)

Pinocchio is that because you have mind and the existence of

your mind and your consciousness connote your existence. So

what led you to say that you do not exist? (Not waiting for

the wooden boy to answer) Do you mind if I ask you a sad

question Pinocchio?

28 THOMAS NAGEL,”A View from Nowhere”, p.32-33

29 THOMAS NAGEL, “Mind and Cosmos”, p.1426

PINNOCHIO: I don’t mind Jiminy, please do. (Though a bit

doubtful)

JIMINY: If existence for you is not that important and if it

matters at all only a little, can you bear losing your father?

Is his presence does not matter to you? What if he leaves you

or perhaps he dies? Would it not create a big hole in your

life?

PINOCCHIO: (In an almost crying reply) I don’t want my father

to leave me. Oh, Jiminy! A day without him is an eternity of

sadness. Please don’t ask any sad questions anymore. (Clasping

his hands, pleading)

JIMINY: I am sorry for asking you those questions Pinocchio

but I want to point out that life is important although it is

puzzling, 30given our objective understanding of physical

reality, the question arises, how does such an arrangement of

basic physical materials, complex as it is, give rise not only

to remarkable physical capacities of the organism but also to

a being with a mind, a point of view, a wide range of30 THOMAS NAGEL, “A View from Nowhere”, p.29

27

subjective experiences and mental capacities? I still believe

that our existence is not of no importance, it is important

most especially to those who adore us and our absence like

what you said is an eternity of sadness for them. Do you

understand me Pinocchio?

PINOCCHIO: I understand Jiminy.

JIMINY: Besides, 31mental concepts are sui generis. They cannot

be copied or replicated Pinocchio. They are owned by their

respective agents. Thus even if someone claimed that he has

the same sensation that you have, he is gravely mistaken if he

says that he is you. 32If every sensation were the perception

of private object or feature, the sensation would be not the

thing itself but its appearing to us in a certain way. Mental

concepts are privately owned by the subjective agent alone.

PINOCCHIO: Are you telling me Jiminy that my father’s bundle

of theory is wrong?



JIMINY: No Pinocchio. All I am saying is this, 33our modes of

concept formation, which operate from a base perception and

introspection, cannot bridge the chasm that separates the mind

from the brain. They are tied to the mental and physical terms

of the relation, not to the relation itself. Not even your

father’s bundles of impressions or bundle of series. What you

are telling me about the bundle theory is that the “relation”

between the physical and the mental is the person himself. But

such a relation is not the personhood of the agent. Without

the physical and the mental, there could be no relation at

all. Both are necessary not only for existence but also for

consciousness.

V. PINOCCHIO’S DILEMMA

33 COLLIN MCGINN, “Minds and Bodies”, p.100629

(After Pinocchio’s talk with Jiminy, he could no longer decide

what to do)

PINOCCHIO: Father, will you miss me if I were gone?

PARFIT: (the master wood carver looks at Pinocchio and in a

fatherly voice) what a silly question my son. Certainly! I’m

going to miss you kiddo every single second.

PINOCCHIO: I’m going to miss you too father (In a sad and

about to cry tone). It would be an eternity of sadness, so

please, please father I don’t want to become human anymore

(Still hearing the last conversations he had with Jiminy).

PARFIT: Why? Are you afraid that the process of turning you

into a human boy will kill you? (In a concern voice while

tapping Pinocchio’s back)

PINOCCHIO: Yes father. It will kill me. (This time he could no

longer hold his tears. Because the thought of separation

enters into his consciousness)

30

PARFIT: (Worried and alarmed) Son, look at me. Will I allow it

to happen? I assure you, it will not kill you. It will only

change you.

PINOCCHIO: (In a protesting voice) That is exactly what I am

afraid of, changing father. How many percent of changes will

happen? Forty-nine percent (49%) or fifty-one percent (51%)?

The first could still be me but the last may not be me.

PARFIT: Son it does not matter how many percent, it will still

be you. 34If fifty percent (50%) of your cells were replaced

with exact duplicates, we could call the resulting person you

or we could call him merely your Replica. But since these are

not different possibilities, this is a mere choice of words.

So whether it is a replica or the real you will not matter.

What is important is that he possesses the bundles of

impressions that you are. So son please trust me and do not

worry, ok? You will survive the process and that for me is

rational.


PINOCCHIO: Yes father I might survive but does survival means

rationality? 35If rationality were measured by survival value,

then the proto-beliefs of the cockroach, which has been around

for ten millions of years longer than we, would have a far

higher claim to rationality than the sum total of human

knowledge.

PARFIT: What do you mean son? (A bit lost and confused)

PINOCCHIO: Father I don’t want to survive, I don’t want to

merely exist. What I want is to live, to live with you. I am

Pinocchio your son and I just realized that I have my own

identity, my “personwood” distinct from the rest and that’s

what makes who I am. Without those “essential properties” I am

no longer the Pinocchio that you adore.36It determines a

completely definite answer to the question whether any given

experience-past, present, or future-is mine or not (all or

nothing condition).

35 BAYNES, BOHMAN, MCCARTHY, “After Philosophy, End or Transformation”, p.225


PARFIT: Son look, and consider this carefully 37accepting the

bundle theory is not only hard; it may also affect our

emotions. As Buddha claimed, it may undermine our concern

about our own future. So if you accept what I told you, that

you do not exist and you are bundles of impressions, you will

look at future as part of those bundles and the outcome of the

process whether it is still you or your replica is just a

matter of “choice of words” thus does not matter because

either way he is still you because your bundles of impressions

are being plugged in him. Just take Buddha’s advice, don’t

mind the future instead embrace it.

PINOCCHIO: But father how about if there was really no

solution to this problem? 38What if there is something about us

that make the mind-body problem impossible for us to solve?

What if our cognitive structure lacks the resources to provide

the requisite theory? And that 39the problem is not that

consciousness is intrinsically outré (ontologically anomalous,


38 COLIN MCGINN, “Out of Body, Out of Mind’, p.105

39 COLIN MCGINN, “Out of Body, Out of Mind’, p.10533

as we analytic philosophers like to say); rather, the human

intellect has been biologically set up to deal with other

sorts of questions, and this one happens to lie within its

given modus operandi. This is probably one of our limitations

that we need to accept. And maybe the best thing to do is to

accept such fact. 40All that can be done at this stage in the

history of science is to argue for the recognition of the

problem, not to offer solutions.

PARFIT: Son, I look at it not as a problem but a challenge.

And given that it is a problem, there will always be a

solution. The challenge is to discover it if not today perhaps

tomorrow. So trust me Pinocchio.

VI. CONCLUSION

Perhaps some would argue, this is a modern fairytale and not

reality. Admittedly, there is a touch of it, because the

40 THOMAS NAGEL, “Mind and Cosmos”, p.2434

characters are taken from children’s fairytale book.

Nevertheless I humbly believed that the issues presented are

not. The arguments presented by each character in this story

are philosophically grounded; every character starting from

Pinocchio down to the Blue fairy represents respective school

of thought or theories. And it is for the reader to take side

and if he could not decide which side he would take, I am

encouraging him to structure another thought that fits his

philosophical palates. However, I am discouraging readers who

will not take side or will not make one since by doing it thus

reflects his ignorance and according to Socrates 41the problem

of evil is because of ignorance.

The ending of the story is intentionally left open. Would

Pinocchio pursue his dream or just raise his two hands and

say, “I give up”? The reader is encouraged to reflect upon the

story and let him create the ending of Pinocchio’s quest for

personhood. Let the fate of the wooden boy’s dream be decided

by you. You are the unmentioned character in the story, the

41 AGDALPEN, DALUAY, INDUCTIVO, “Being Social Being”, p.7235

silent witness to every dialogues, and the best candidate to

put a period in his mundanely self-discovery journey.

36

A Chunk of Wood's Dilemma

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