Skip to content
Do you have adblock enabled?
 
If you can read this, either the style sheet didn't load or you have an older browser that doesn't support style sheets. Try clearing your browser cache and refreshing the page.

(Wikipedia)   We haven't had a Ship of Theseus thread in a while. This is my grandfathers ax. My father replaced the blade, and I replaced the handle, but this is my grandfathers ax. Is it? Why/why not? See initial thread post for more questions. (HAHA to filter)   (en.wikipedia.org) divider line
37
    More: Interesting, Philosophy, Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Ship of Theseus, Mind, Science, Minos, Athens, Nature  
•       •       •

203 clicks; posted to Discussion » on 09 Feb 2023 at 8:25 AM (6 weeks ago)   |   Favorite    |   share:  Share on Twitter share via Email Share on Facebook



37 Comments     (+0 »)
View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest
 
Harlee [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 6:19:47 AM  
This is a great question to address when high. A thought experiment:

Here is your axe. It has three parts: a metal blade, a wooden handle, and a shim that is pounded into the handle slit to set it in the blade. It is in perfect condition.

You also have four parts you have just bought: a metal blade, a wooden handle, and two shims.

Now: Take the axe apart. Throw away the original handle and its shim. Set the new handle in the original blade with one of the new shims.

10 years later:  Take the axe apart. Throw away the original blade and once-replaced shim. Set the once-replaced handle in the new blade with the other new shim.

You now have an axe with all-replaced parts (one, the shim, twice-replaced). Is it the same axe?

Is TIME a component of "sameness"? What if the time elapsed between each replacement is only a year? A week? A day? A minute? At the same time (i.e.: you throw away the entire old axe and just build a new one)? Why?

Is condition a component of "sameness"? Would it matter if the original ax parts were damaged, rather than being in perfect condition? Why?

Is part quantity a component of sameness? What if you tossed the old axe and built the replacement using BOTH shims (the axe now has four parts)? Why?

{puff puff pass}
 
offacue [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 7:00:09 AM  
Of course it's not the same.  Even if the wood for the new handle came from the same tree, the grain would not be the same.  Even if the steel for the axe head were the same formula, the forging process could never be exactly duplicated.  The sharpening process could never be exactly duplicated.  And so on.  Shim your pipe.
 
Gordon Bennett [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 7:09:24 AM  
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
talkertopc [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 7:30:04 AM  
It's now the family ax.
 
FlashHarry [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 8:04:55 AM  
you ax too many questions.
 
grokca [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 8:25:03 AM  
Now do the Enterprise 1701.
 
urger [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 8:47:31 AM  
I replaced it with a chainsaw
 
Three Crooked Squirrels [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 8:55:20 AM  

Harlee: This is a great question to address when high. A thought experiment:

Here is your axe. It has three parts: a metal blade, a wooden handle, and a shim that is pounded into the handle slit to set it in the blade. It is in perfect condition.

You also have four parts you have just bought: a metal blade, a wooden handle, and two shims.

Now: Take the axe apart. Throw away the original handle and its shim. Set the new handle in the original blade with one of the new shims.

10 years later:  Take the axe apart. Throw away the original blade and once-replaced shim. Set the once-replaced handle in the new blade with the other new shim.

You now have an axe with all-replaced parts (one, the shim, twice-replaced). Is it the same axe?

Is TIME a component of "sameness"? What if the time elapsed between each replacement is only a year? A week? A day? A minute? At the same time (i.e.: you throw away the entire old axe and just build a new one)? Why?

Is condition a component of "sameness"? Would it matter if the original ax parts were damaged, rather than being in perfect condition? Why?

Is part quantity a component of sameness? What if you tossed the old axe and built the replacement using BOTH shims (the axe now has four parts)? Why?

{puff puff pass}


You're way overthinking it, dude. There is nothing about the ax that remains. It's not the same ax. Your other 134 questions are irrelevant.
 
Colonel_Angus
2023-02-09 9:00:52 AM  

Harlee: This is a great question to address when high. A thought experiment:


People who think they're capable of exploring profound questions when high don't realize how stupid they sound when high.
 
sxacho [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 9:02:00 AM  
Use clearer language and the problem goes away.
 
Bondith
2023-02-09 9:02:17 AM  

grokca: Now do the Enterprise 1701.


We forgot what the question was during one of the endless slo-mo pans.
 
Harlee [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 9:07:19 AM  

Colonel_Angus: Harlee: This is a great question to address when high. A thought experiment:

People who think they're capable of exploring profound questions when high don't realize how stupid they sound when high.


So... was Plato high?
 
RogermcAllen [OhFark]
2023-02-09 9:10:22 AM  
The current axe is to the original what you are to your grandfather.  You share a lineage that participated in cross generational experiences and you might have some distinctive physical features, but you aren't the same person.
 
Merltech
2023-02-09 9:21:56 AM  
Turn the axe head into some steam punk lamp. It will be a conversational piece with history.
 
FlashHarry [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 9:46:20 AM  
Fark user imageView Full Size
 
sxacho [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 9:48:46 AM  
moriareviews.comView Full Size
 
Arkanaut
2023-02-09 9:52:09 AM  
Is it still a Ship of Theseus thread if the mods delete every comment and replace it with identical new comments?
 
Troy Aikman's Giant Thumbs
2023-02-09 10:15:33 AM  
The real question is if you beam your grandfather's ax down to Rigel 7 but transporter malfunction causes a duplicate ax to be created, and you use parts from the mirror universe to fix the original ax, does that make it evil even if you shave off the goatee?
 
ReverendLoki
2023-02-09 10:30:45 AM  

Troy Aikman's Giant Thumbs: The real question is if you beam your grandfather's ax down to Rigel 7 but transporter malfunction causes a duplicate ax to be created, and you use parts from the mirror universe to fix the original ax, does that make it evil even if you shave off the goatee?


Are you shaving the goatee with the other ax?
 
edmo [TotalFark] [OhFark]
2023-02-09 10:54:33 AM  
Here's one:

Fark user imageView Full Size
 
optikeye [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 11:50:51 AM  
If every cell in your body gets replaced ever 7 years....is it still your grandfather?
 
Russell_Secord
2023-02-09 12:35:03 PM  
If you replace each part over time, at what point does it become a different axe? When you replace the last part, how do you know it's the last part? Who keeps track of stuff like that??
 
Noah_Tall
2023-02-09 2:37:22 PM  
Is your grandfather still alive and you actually replaced the parts for him?  In that case yes it's still his axe.
 
optikeye [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 3:23:30 PM  

Russell_Secord: If you replace each part over time, at what point does it become a different axe? When you replace the last part, how do you know it's the last part? Who keeps track of stuff like that??


New to fark's OCD squad, eh?
 
ryant123
2023-02-09 3:51:09 PM  

Harlee: Colonel_Angus: Harlee:

So... was Plato high?


Occasionally

Fark user imageView Full Size
 
Kar98
2023-02-09 3:54:21 PM  
The real question is, if I build a replica of the ship with parts discarded during repairs, which one is the real ship?
 
maxheck
2023-02-09 4:15:37 PM  
Other stoned discussions include uploaded consciousness, star-trek style transporters, and the fact that damn near every atom in your body has been replaced by middle age.
 
RobotSpider
2023-02-09 4:25:35 PM  
The real question here is, why would you replace an axe head? The only reason to do that is if it's rusted beyond hope--which is pretty tough to accomplish. Or you accidentally dropped it into an open smelting forge. Otherwise, drop it in a vat of Evapo-Rust, hit it with a file and stone to sharpen the edge, and put it back on the handle.
 
optikeye [TotalFark]
2023-02-09 4:59:54 PM  

RobotSpider: The real question here is, why would you replace an axe head? The only reason to do that is if it's rusted beyond hope--which is pretty tough to accomplish. Or you accidentally dropped it into an open smelting forge. Otherwise, drop it in a vat of Evapo-Rust, hit it with a file and stone to sharpen the edge, and put it back on the handle.


Or it hit a nail in a tree and cracked.
 
maxheck
2023-02-09 5:19:35 PM  

RobotSpider: The real question here is, why would you replace an axe head? The only reason to do that is if it's rusted beyond hope--which is pretty tough to accomplish. Or you accidentally dropped it into an open smelting forge. Otherwise, drop it in a vat of Evapo-Rust, hit it with a file and stone to sharpen the edge, and put it back on the handle.


I have actually chucked axe heads because they were unredeemable. It happens.
 
ReverendLoki
2023-02-09 5:54:38 PM  

RobotSpider: The real question here is, why would you replace an axe head? The only reason to do that is if it's rusted beyond hope--which is pretty tough to accomplish. Or you accidentally dropped it into an open smelting forge. Otherwise, drop it in a vat of Evapo-Rust, hit it with a file and stone to sharpen the edge, and put it back on the handle.


CSI can't find any blood trace that way.
 
Fireproof [OhFark]
2023-02-09 7:05:21 PM  

sxacho: [moriareviews.com image 850x477]


Fark user imageView Full Size
 
maxheck
2023-02-09 7:15:20 PM  
Side note, this always amazes me.

Kodo - "O-Daiko" - HD (japanese drummers - Taiko - tambours géants Japon)
Youtube C7HL5wYqAbU
 
maxheck
2023-02-09 7:19:52 PM  

sxacho: [moriareviews.com image 850x477]


John Dies at The End is one of my best reccomendations.
 
AppleOptionEsc
2023-02-09 11:26:42 PM  
A subjective question. Does the original "thing" that made a thing work still exist without being replaced?

For an Axe, the head is supposed to be replaced. Sure, they take a really long time to be replaced, but the handle is what makes an axe work through multiple needed replacement. It would be like saying after you change your car tires after 50,000 miles, it isn't your car anymore.

For the theoretical ship of Theseus, I'm not a boat guy. But the frame of the hull never gets replaced. So as long as you have over 50% remaining of the important bits, it's the same ship.
 
Terminal Accessory [BareFark]
2023-02-10 11:54:20 AM  

maxheck: Side note, this always amazes me.

[iFrame https://www.youtube.com/embed/C7HL5wYqAbU?autoplay=1&widget_referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fark.com&start=0&enablejsapi=1&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fark.com&widgetid=1]


That must be a serious workout!
 
mrparks
2023-02-10 2:04:52 PM  
It works better applied to any team sport with a rotating lineup.
 
Displayed 37 of 37 comments

View Voting Results: Smartest and Funniest

Redisplay/refresh comments
This thread is closed to new comments.

Continue Farking

If you like these links, you'll love

TotalFark

More Farking, less working

learn more | sign up
On Twitter

  1. Links are submitted by members of the Fark community.

  2. When community members submit a link, they also write a custom headline for the story.

  3. Other Farkers comment on the links. This is the number of comments. Click here to read them.

  4. Click here to submit a link.