If a different sperm, from the millions that tried, had entered your mothers' egg; would you still be you?

Question

I have thought this many times. This is not a religious question. Think of the probability of that . Obviously you may look different due to genetic variability, but does a different sperm= a diffferent conciousness. I believe that it probably does. READ THIS BEFORE REPLYING: If you flip a quarter and it lands on tails, is it simple probability, or did some supernatural and "invisible" force will it to do so since the beginning of time? Hint: USE LOGIC.

Answer 1

The answer is no; you would probably be genetically different as you say because of genetic variability. And you are right this is not a religious question unless your supposition that maybe some "supernatural and invisible force" willed that particular sperm to "invade" your mother's egg is religious.

I do not believe a sperm and an egg are conscious even when fused. There is a lot of evidence to support the idea that you are not humanly conscious until the age of 18 months to two years (until you learn some language). There are a lot of scientists who maintain that animals are not even conscious. How would you know; no one has succeeded in conversing with an animal so as to ask him what he is aware of.

Then there is the idea of "determinism" that is that all things are determined from the beginning of time to the present (The christian idea that God is always in control of all things is a form of determinism). That means no one has any free will. Free will is an illusion. Many scientists, especially before the advent of quantum theory, were determinists. Some still are. That idea would go along with your idea that a coin is "willed" to fall in a particular way when flipped.

Answer 2

I would be someone else. Not too different, but different.