Pattern Continuity
Identity is what persists, not what it is made of
Candle Flame · Hot gas / soot
Every molecule replaced each second. The flame persists.
Water Vortex · Fluid
Water flows through. The vortex endures.
Neural Oscillation · Biological
Atoms turn over. The oscillation continues.
Computational Process · Digital
Transistors switch. The computation lives on.
Active pattern
Flame / Heat
Fluid / Water
Neural activation
Digital cells
A candle flame persists though every molecule is replaced each second. A whirlpool endures while the water flows through. A mind continues though every atom turns over. Identity is the pattern, not the substrate. What we call 'self' is a dynamical attractor, and attractors are substrate-independent.