Is It the Same? Is It Different? Is It the Same Difference?

Shaianne Drayton

Philosophy

February 24th 2016

                        Is it the same? Is it different? Is it the same difference?

        We know things can be the same, as well as different. However can things be both? A ship began a voyage around the world, within the time of voyage parts of the ship brake down. The voyage continues and piece by piece the broken parts are replaced with new parts that are completely identical to the original parts. By the time the ship reached its home port, all of its parts had been replaced literally. Is this ship the same, different or both at the end of the voyage? I believe the ship is both the same as well as different at the end of the voyage. Here is why …

        Why is the ship the same? The ship is the same because at no point would you know the ship is different if you were not told because the pieces look exactly the same. For example for people who have identical twins. The twins go to school with the same outfit, hairstyle looking completely identical, but they have different classes. They decide to swap for the day. The teacher wouldn’t have knowledge of the switch unless they are told. The problem clearly states that the replaced pieces are identical to an original and when something is identical to its original it is the exact same as something else.

        Why is the ship different? When you get down to the technical aspect of the problem, yes the ship is different. The problem states that although the parts are identical they are new parts. When you have something new no matter the fact that they are identical they are not the same part. For example when you go to the store and make and even exchange. It’s the same item which would make it even, but in reality it’s different because it’s a completely new item. It’s not the same item any longer due to the fact that you exchanged it for a new item.

        To conclude the ship at the end of the voyage is can be both the same and different. Depending on how you look into the problem there’s many ways you could lean to either side. If you look at it from the same stand point then you would look at the identical twins. If you look at the problem from a different stand point you can look at it at an even exchange. As proven things can be both the same and different.