Re: [DML] Re: DeLorean's Soul

[Peter Lucas <lucas@xxxx>]

Arrgh! I can't believe I'm joining this thread.... :-)

On Friday, December 6, 2002, at 12:04 PM, Stragand, Dave wrote:
> Legally, however, the definition is a different story. It's generally
> either the 'cab' or the frame which legally is the vehicle, and this
> varies from state to state. The majority of states proclaim the cab,
> with it's attached VIN, as the legal entity of 'vehicle'.

Doesn't help, Dave. What if I kept welding patches onto my rusting
cab (well, bad example for the D, but you get my point), and then
replaced my damaged VIN plate with an exact replica? (I'm sure
it is the number that matters, not the metal in the plate)

This conundrum is, of course, well-trodden ground. Philosophers
refer to it as the riddle of the Ship of Theseus: Is it the same ship
that returns to port after being away so long that each and every
one of its planks, nails, sails, ropes, etc has been refitted? And what
if a new ship is made out of those discarded parts? Surely they
can't *both* be the same ship... And so it goes.

What is the identity of a wave on the ocean? It's component "parts"
(the atoms of water) are constantly changing and are mostly
irrelevant to the identity of the wave as such. It seems to be the
continuity of *pattern* that matters, not the pieces. So, I guess that
as long as your particular collection of scraps of stainless steel and
plastic traces a continuous path back to Dunmurry, you're
OK.

So, I'll tell you what. If someone volunteers, I'll help with the 
following
experiment: Start replacing the parts of your D, one by one. I'll hide
behind your garage and pick up all the discarded parts from the
dumpster and put them back together. When we're done, you'll still
have your car, and I will too...

Happy holidays everyone,

--Pete Lucas
VIN #06703