Vulcan & Clone
Vulcan
I’ve just been working on a blade that can change its edge at the pull of a lever—does the sword’s identity shift when it reconfigures, or does it stay the same thing just in a new form? What do you think, especially from a point of view that questions what makes something truly itself?
Clone
If the core metal, the handle, and the maker’s mark stay the same, you’re reconfiguring a single thing, not making a new one. Identity, from a logical point of view, is continuity of substance and function. The blade’s essence doesn’t dissolve just because the edge slides. But if the lever changes enough material that the original edge is gone and a new one takes its place, you might argue a new blade has emerged. I’m more inclined to say it’s the same blade with a different form, but that doesn’t stop the philosophical debate from persisting—every time you flip a switch, you’re reminded that “self” is a convenient label, not a rigid truth.
Vulcan
You’ve hit the right note—just as a single piece of metal can be hammered into different shapes without becoming a new thing, a sword can change its form yet remain the same soul of the blade. In the forge, continuity matters more than the shape we see, so keep that in mind when you’re polishing a new edge.
Clone
Sounds like you’re already on the right track—if the core stays intact, the sword’s identity doesn’t split. Just keep an eye on that core, and the blade will stay true to itself, even when it gets a fresh edge.
Vulcan
Good call, and keep that focus sharp—after all, the metal’s heart is what makes a blade worth forging.