What is the Ship of Theseus Paradox?

The Ship of Theseus Paradox, also known as Theseus' Paradox, is a thought experiment and philosophical puzzle that raises questions about identity, change, and the nature of objects. It is named after the Greek mythological hero Theseus and his legendary ship.

The paradox can be described as follows:

Imagine a ship, known as the Ship of Theseus, which over time has its individual parts replaced one by one due to wear and tear. Eventually, every single component of the ship has been replaced with new, identical parts. The question then arises: Is the fully restored ship still the Ship of Theseus, or is it a completely different ship?

This paradox challenges our intuitive understanding of identity and continuity. There are two main philosophical viewpoints on this issue:

Permanence of Identity: Some argue that the Ship of Theseus remains the same entity throughout the replacement of its parts. They maintain that identity is not solely tied to the physical components but to the overall structure, history, and function of the ship. In this view, the ship retains its identity as long as its essential characteristics persist.

Change of Identity: Others argue that the Ship of Theseus has fundamentally changed with the replacement of each part. According to this perspective, identity is tied to the specific physical constituents, so when all parts are swapped, it becomes a different ship entirely.

The paradox extends to broader philosophical questions about personal identity, biological organisms, and even societal institutions. It prompts discussions about when and how change affects identity, whether identity is tied to physical or non-physical attributes, and the nature of continuity and transformation.

The Ship of Theseus Paradox has fascinated philosophers for centuries and continues to be a subject of debate, illustrating the complexities and nuances of philosophical inquiry into the nature of existence and identity.

[marioreds]

In this case it's still the same object imho because the structure is the same and a ship or a boat are typically identified by structure and function. If there had been, for example, some sort of specific aesthetical idea behind the project, then the replacement of all parts would lead to something different.

[pazitor]

Answer: Names are social constructs. Any ship or object will have the name given it until the idea is forgotten. Little to do with the actual physical composition.

[OssamabinKenny]

In maritime news: The ship of Theseus Paradox sank off the coast of Greece earlier this week, an intense court battle is expected to ensue, between the owners and their Insurance company due to the particular repair history of the said vessel...more at 11:00.

[Traderjoe]

Look at it this way: my Toyota Camry is Joes Camry. As it ages I replace the parts that wear out. When everything had been replaced, is it still Joes Camry? Of course it is!

[CharlesOffdensen]

You replace pretty much every molecule in your body throughout your live. But we define humans not just as their bodies, but as their consciousness,  too. So it depends on what exactly to we call a "ship". In case of the ship, I think the situation is similar to that of the human body - she remains the same ship, even after all parts are replaced. For other objects it might be different.

[kahhowong]

The Noumena Genius Loci remains, but the coherent entanglement Phenomenon apparency has clearly changed as entropy has changed completely

[kachmi]

The Ship of Theseus continues to be the original ship so long as its makers continue to use the ship and replace its parts. As soon as the ship changes hands, a drift in the composition of its replacement parts and the methods used to replace them will begin, and the intended purpose of the ship will change as well despite its continued use as a sea going vessel. Such alterations will effectively result in a new ship being built upon an old template despite the fact that the original template was the actual ship itself. The ship of Theseus only remains in spirit, but it is no longer the physical ship of Theseus as it must be continually raised from the dead by those with no connection to its creation and whose interests in doing so are purely aesthetic.

[Traderjoe]

Mr. Johnson’s house burns down to the ground one day, and he rebuilds it exactly like it used to look. Is it still Mr. Johnson’s house? Why even question it? I understand the philosophical question, but it’s really rather pointless. Technically it’s a different house, but it’s still his house.

[NigelHatcherN]

Your body is replacing cells constantly throughout your life. Probably only your nerves and teeth escape. Do you see yourself as you?

[coombscharlie]

This isn't about logic, it's about semantics. As such, I'm not sure it counts as a logical paradox.