Chapter 03 of 5
The Biological Ship
Apply the paradox to the human body and the constant cycle of cellular death.
- Molecular Identity
You Are Not a Statue
While you feel like a solid, permanent object, you are actually a swirling vortex of matter. Every second, you lose millions of atoms to the environment.
- Metabolic Flux
The Seven-Year Myth
It is often said every cell in your body is replaced every seven years. While the timeline varies by tissue, the total turnover is a biological reality.
- Mechanism
Cellular Shipwrights
Mitosis acts as your internal dockworker, replicating DNA and splitting cells to replace the worn-out 'planks' of your skin and organs.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
Which part of the human body is an exception to the 'Ship of Theseus' turnover because most of its cells remain for a lifetime?
⛵ The Ship of Theseus: The Paradox of Identity
- 01The Docks of AthensExamine the foundational paradox of gradual replacement and persistence.
- 02The Scavenger's DilemmaHobbes introduces a second ship built from the discarded original planks.
- 03The Biological ShipApply the paradox to the human body and the constant cycle of cellular death.
- 04The Teletransporter ParadoxA deep dive into Parfit’s experiment on digital replication and destruction.
- 05The Narrative EgoSynthesizing the paradox into theories of psychological and legal identity.