A wave, the Buddhists say. Not a soul, just movement.
Parfit calls it a bundle: thoughts, memories, sensations, intentions —
held together by continuity rather than ownership.
A binding
meant to come undone at death.
But how does that binding last a lifetime?
Is the body such a strong tether,
carrying the same feeling of “me” for so many years?
Could some future technology
take a deposit of these thoughts, memories, sensations, intentions
and let the wave continue — not as possession,
but as momentum — a kind of reincarnation after all?
Or is the familiarity my mistake?
Is the wave remade each moment,
the binding refreshed so quickly
that I can’t see the breaks?
Last Updated on April 14, 2026 | Published: November 27, 2025