Ship of Theseus
The ship of Theseus is the puzzle of whether an object that has had every part replaced is still the same object.
Full definition of Ship of Theseus →:: COMPARE ::
The puzzlevsFour-dimensionalism
The short answer
A dissolution rather than an answer. If objects are extended in time as well as space, the ship is a branching object divisible into four-dimensional proper parts — and the question of which branch is 'really it' stops being forced. You don't answer the puzzle; you deny that it had to have one answer.
Side by side
| Aspect | The puzzle | Four-dimensionalism |
|---|---|---|
| Objects are | 3D, enduring | 4D, extended in time |
| The question | Which one is it? | Ill-formed |
| Answer | Contested | Dissolved |
| Cost | A paradox | A strange ontology |
What each one means
Four-dimensionalism
The contrast above sets out how Four-dimensionalism differs from Ship of Theseus on the points that actually matter.