1. Dennett’s Where Am I?

2. Dennett’s “Where Am I?” Cast of Characters Yorick: Dennett’s original brain Hamlet: Dennett’s original body Fortinbras: second body (Yorick’s 2nd, Hubert’s 1st) Hubert: a computer that instantiates Yorick Narrator: “Dennett”

3. Two Things to Consider False Dilemma Here, There, Now, Today, I What do these words have in common?

4. The Plot Scientists approach Dennett to go on a secret mission to disarm a nuclear device named STUD. The mission could be highly dangerous to Dennett ’ s brain (but not his body). Scientists have figured out a way to send Dennett ’ s body (Hamlet) on the mission while leaving his brain (Yorick) behind in the lab.

5. Act I Dennett goes wireless Dennett agrees to go. His brain is surgically removed from his body and placed in a vat. His brain controls his body via implants, transmitters and antennae. With the flip of a switch, the connection between his brain and his body can be severed. With another flip of the switch, the connection can be re-established.

6. Surgery is a Success Where am I? Indexicals: here vs. there Where are his thoughts tokened?

7. Where is Dennett? HamletYorick POV

8. 1st Possible Answer Hamlet (body) Brain/Body Swap Which would he prefer survive, body or brain?

9. The Body P1: If Dennett is Hamlet ⊃ Dennett prefers to go the way of Hamlet. P2: Dennett doesn’t prefer to go the way of Hamlet. C: Therefore, Dennett isn’t Hamlet.

11. Brain/Body Swap

12. 2nd Possible Answer Yorick (brain) Suppose Hamlet (body) gets on a train in Texas for CA where he holds up a liquor store. The police capture him.

13. Which Do We Lock Up? Yorick in Texas or Hamlet in CA

14. If Dennett is Yorick P1: They want to convict Dennett P2: Dennett is Yorick C: They must convict and lock up Yorick. What’s the problem?

15. Is Dennett Still Free?

16. The Brain Yorick P1: If Dennett is Yorick ⊃ Dennett is imprisoned when Yorick is. P2: Dennett isn ’ t imprisoned when Yorick is. C: Therefore, Dennett isn ’ t Yorick.

17. 3rd Possible Answer Point of View Personal identity is a matter of POV At any given time a person has a POV, the person just is wherever that POV is.

18. 3rd Possible Answer POV Dennett (I) heads for Tulsa. Dennett (I) descends into the earth under Tulsa in search of the atomic warhead. Trouble: radio links break down, the body loses all contact with the brain Result: shift in POV Buried alive in Oklahoma --> Disembodied in Houston

19. Problems

20. False Dilemma

21. Act II Dennett disarms the STUD. Hamlet is destroyed in the process. Yorick lives on in the vat, but is now deprived of all sensory input.

22. Act III Enter Fortinbras Scientists establish a connection between Yorick and the new body, Fortinbras.

23. Act III Fortinbras vists Yorick and learns about Hubert. Hubert is running alongside Yorick. Hubert is a computer program that instantiates Yorick exactly. (If as AI would have it, brain is a computer and the mind is the program then the mind is capable of multiple realizations)

24. Act III Both Yorick & Hubert can interact with Fortinbras. A switch allows either to be in control & there is a feedback between the two. Both brains work in conjunction with Fortinbras (the body). They both carry the same stream of memory and consciousness (Dennett’s).

25. Where is Dennett?

26. Two Dennetts? Suppose someone detaches Yorick or Hubert from Fortinbras and hitches it to some other body?

27. Grand Finale Who has been telling the story? Yorick and Hubert don’t seem to have the same voice, don’t seem to share the same identity