Outside The Box, Part 1

When people find themselves at an stalemate with the physical world, there are multiple avenues to choose from. Given the modern world's disposition towards hard evidence, The Scientific Method has proven itself time and time again to be the best logic for dealing with most things that are misunderstood. Without it, the modern understanding of Chemistry, Physics, and Biology might not be possible. Further, nearly anyone with the inclination and time can learn from the work of others and should they have the available resources, perform the research and experiments themselves.

However, Science has it's limits. Some things cannot be measured. Other factors or circumstances cannot be tangibly produced. Finally, there are some experiments that, ethically speaking, would be viewed as reprehensible or inexcusable even "in the name of Science."

Thought Experiments exist to let people draw conclusions regarding these hard situations, think critically, or work on tangible solutions to the intangible. Moreover, they serve to stimulate an individual to think as a philosopher or scientist, making them exercises valuable to both layman and experts alike. With the mode of Thought Experiments, the only limitation that exists is the conscious ability of the experimenter, and no situation can be viewed as too absurd or unlikely to be put to test.

Named for the alleged founder of the Athenian city-state, the Paradox of Theseus asks a question that is extremely difficult to quantify: Identity. According to legend, the ship that he used to return the young of Athens to it's home shores was preserved for multiple generations. As a matter of duty, the Athenians would replace the timbers and materials used to build the vessel as they would decay. While the notion of repairing historical items is not all that strange, it begs a basic question: At what point does something stop being what it is claimed to be? If all of the original timbers are no longer in place, is it actually the ship of Theseus? This experiment is sometimes also called "Grandfather's Axe," or "George Washington's Axe." According to popular history, the first president of United States was notorious skillful at felling trees with an axe, and would use what he called his "grandfather's axe," despite the handle and axe-head having been replaced multiple times.

The consequences of such a question can be immense. Is identity solely linked to the body of an individual? If the mind were to be transplanted into the body of another, would that person still be themselves? Is your home still your home if you were to systematically replace every piece of construction with an identical replica?

Come back next week for a much more unique stretch of the mind!