Ship of Theseus
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
In addition to the classic 'ship of Theseus' thought experiment, Hobbes added an extension: if someone reassembles the old planks that were replaced into a ship, which one is the true Ship of Theseus? The one that is completely new (functional continuity) or the old one (material substance)?
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Distinguish between 'functionality' and 'materiality'. When a company (such as HP, Yahoo) has all its personnel and business changed, but the brand remains (functional continuity); or when the original team leaves to start a new company (material substance). Who is the original company? It depends on whether you define value by the 'brand shell' or the 'team core'.
Anchor fast decisions
The Ship of Theseus paradox is a more general formulation of whether identity is preserved through partial replacement: when the constituent elements of an object are continuously replaced, at what point do we lose the original object? It exposes the vague boundaries of everyday identity concepts.
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/4Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
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