View source for Body and structure and functioning argument

Body and structure and functioning argument

Many people believe that [[personal identity]] is based on the body. They consequently believe that when the body dies that is the permanent end of a person's conscious existence. Most people however believe that they have a soul or the equivalent thus conscious life can continue to exist after death if the soul continues to exist after death. This is what many religious beliefs are based on; you can continue to exist after death because there is some none physical thing that can exist after the death of the person. Unfortunately, here has never been found any scientific evidence of a soul or the like ever existing. This would seem to imply that when you die that is the end of conscious life for you. [[Superimmortality]] has a different perspective. You are not your body but the structure and functioning of the body. Something produces your consciousness. To most people they think that they have a body and that this body is them. What does this actually mean? The matter in your body is constantly changing places and being replaced. Even the matter in the bones is slowly being replaced. To say that you are your body, is not the same thing as saying that you are the matter that your body is made of because the matter that you begin with in your life has been replaced many times before you die. What does it mean to say you are your body? There is a continuity of matter that is slowly being shuffled through the body and then replaced. Is there a speed limit to how fast matter can be replaced in the body where you are no longer are the same person. What does it mean for the same body to no longer 
be the same person? If it takes one hour to replace the matter in the body is it still the same body. Is there some unknown process where the matter being replaced is communicating information to the incoming matter. Chemically what is happening is that the incoming matter is replacing the current matter in a close approximate structure where the same approximate functioning or ability to function in specific ways is maintained. There does not seem to be any supernatural process occurring in maintaining the self over time.

[[You are not the body or soul but the structure and functioning of matter argument]]