The Ship of Theseus
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-30
CORE DEFINITION
If a ship's planks are gradually replaced until all parts have been changed, is it still the same ship? If the old parts are reassembled into a new ship, which one is the real one?
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
Reduce cognitive load
Dynamic identity. In brand transformation or corporate change, we often face this question: if we change the logo, core business, and team, are we still the same company? This helps us think about whether the "core definition" is material composition, or a continuous evolutionary history or spiritual essence.
Anchor fast decisions
If a ship's planks are replaced one by one, is it still the same ship? This thought experiment questions the identity and persistence conditions of an object. The mechanism is the tension between "parts being gradually replaced" and "the whole remaining identical."
MINIMUM ACTION
In progress 0/3Practice this model in one real situation:
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship_of_Theseusverified
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