Would you use a teleporter?

[VicunaBlue]

They show up in all sorts of science fiction, and they usually have one thing in common: Their process involves either converting you into some sort of energy, or breaking you up into particles, then reassembling you at the destination. Now while they are obviously others, MANY use this model.

But I was thinking a while ago, and isn't this basically killing you and making a new one of you at the destination? I mean being broken down into subatomic particles certainly seems like death to me.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

Probably not, mainly because I would be too scared of the fact that my legs may end up in Beijing while I end up in Berlin.

 

[DefunctTheory]

The teleporter challenges the very notion of death really. By all conventional knowledge, teleporting a living being should be impossible to do, and is basically the same as being able to create new life (Something which is impossible as of today, at least on a multicellular creature).

So no, I would not, as the 'thing' coming out on the other side would not be me.

 

[fullbleed]

Yes, I'm lazy and want to cut down on transport cost. It probably wont work ever and any attempt would kill someone, but if it was all magic then sure.

 

[burningdragoon]

That depends. If it breaking down my molecules into energy and then rebuilding the same energy back into myself, then still maybe really. If it is copying my molecules, destroying them and the rebuilding elsewhere, then no.

edit: Like the guy above me, if it was magic then absolutely.

 

[Dags90]

Presumably if the technology was commonplace it'd have all the major kinks wired out by then. Certainly wouldn't want to be an early adopter. Besides, how could you not trust this face:

 

[drbarno]

no, but mainly because i'm too lazy to take the faster options.

 

[Jedamethis]

Hmm.

The teleporter challenges the very notion of death really. By all conventional knowledge, teleporting a living being should be impossible to do, and is basically the same as being able to create new life

I was going to say yes, but this has changed my mind. So you get broken down into molecules, and then rebuilt, how could that body suddenly have life?

 

[Corpse XxX]

If teleporters was a every day common thing used by many, i would do it..

But as it stands nowadays, i would never use one..

 

[The Real Sandman]

Teleportation in theory sounds awesome, but I don't think I'd ever use it.

Spoiler: You never know what could happen...

 

[blipblop]

Yes but only if I could telefrag someone

 

[Bobipine]

Well, depends on the exact process of the teleportation I guess, but it would be most likely that you seem to cease to exist for a while. For them to actually work would require a certainty of the definition of the "soul" or "consciousness", the thing that make that mass of carbon based molecules that we are, who we are. If said soul isn't directly "attached" to our body form, nothing guarantee that we would end up the same physically when we do appear but we'd still have the same personality, if it is attached to it, then we would always be the same, but what about aging? I guess I would mostly not do it, even if it would save a lot of time, just for the many many errors possibilities, or I just don't have enough knowledge in molecular or nuclear science to feel safe about it.

 

[John the Gamer]

If technology of that level ever becomes commonsight/reality, I'll just modify my genetic structure to grow wings so I can fly and use that instead of teleportation.

 

[Ironic Pirate]

No, because the paranoid part of me would think anyone who teleports is replaced by an unthinking machine designed to behave exactly like them.

 

[MasterOfWorlds]

I would, but I'd make sure it was like the fifth generation or so. I'd prefer not to wind up with my head on backwards or something.

 

[Carboncrown]

This always bothered me in stargate. I don't think I could do it, because, "what if?".

Spoiler: mandatory

 

[MindBullets]

That song Douglas Adams had in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy books has warned me against teleportation already.

There's a great rendition of it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m_IWosrJVMU

 

[Dr.A]

I guess it's not the "dying" part that I'd be concerned about, it'd be whether or not they'd be able to teleport my consciousness as well. I have no doubt they'd be able to teleport my atoms. But I suppose my consciousness might be left behind, and that would suck.

 

[Dags90]

I guess it's not the "dying" part that I'd be concerned about, it'd be whether or not they'd be able to teleport my consciousness as well. I have no doubt they'd be able to teleport my atoms. But I suppose my consciousness might be left behind, and that would suck.

It depends if you subscribe to mind-body dualism or not. If not, then it doesn't matter because your soul, consciousness, etc. are based on physical atoms and their arrangement.

If not then presumably you'd need a teleporter which could teleport all the supernatural stuff as well as atoms.

 

[TimeLord]

Basically put:

I'm not testing the Beta for it!