20251001_TheTrueShip_pen

The Ship of Theseus is one of the most thought-provoking thought experiments in Greek philosophy.

A ship manned by the mythical king Theseus becomes weathered over time. Hence, parts of the ship are slowly replaced with newer, identical components. While Theseus's men ensure to keep the ship's form and function the same, there's a point where all parts of the ship, its constituent matter, have been replaced.

Now a question arises; in the absence of the original components of the ship of Theseus, does this newly repaired version remain the true ship?

Much later, the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes added an extra layer to this exercise by raising another scenario, by supposing that all the worn out parts of the first ship are used to construct a new one. In this case, we now have a second ship, identical in both matter and form to the first.

Now, does the second ship still represent the true ship of Theseus or is it something new altogether?

Both scenarios result in a paradox, as expertly illustrated in the TV show WandaVision, with the dialogue between the two different Visions.
"Neither is the true ship. Both are the true ship."

This is an important point to remember in terms of identity dynamics and how it's applicable in all of our lives.

We learn that a sum of parts can never be equated to a whole, nor can a series of parts to a whole sum. However, both may contain the essence of the whole.

1. Knowing the constituents of a political party doesn't imply that I know the party as a whole. Can the party leader represent the party in all of its thought, word and deed?
2. When a war is fought between two races for more than a century, and with the passing of every generation that keeps the fight alive, is it still the same war or is it growing bigger with each battle?
3. If you consider your own identity, am I talking to a complete person, or a conglomeration of mental constructs formed by the interactions between your mind and your brain?

Can we ever identify where one part ends and the other begins?

Maybe there are particular points in time where both the repaired ship and the new ship cease to be true to their origins.

But computing those points is an endlessly interpretative activity, depending on both the mindset of the computer and the available information. And let's not even get started with the missing data.

With this context, the only thing we can do is search for the truest ship. But given everything, is there any point in doing so?

Especially when we bring Ship of Theseus to the matter of life and death, things get quite tragic yet undeniably beautiful.

If I were to die, it's only a matter of time before I become one with the earth.
When that happens, which one is the true ship? Is it the earth, the legacy, the memories, or the soul that has already passed onto the next life?

In that case, we need to ask ourselves whether we truly need a vessel. Maybe we are better off as the ocean than a ship.