Alright, let’s talk about ‘The Ship of Theseus.’ It’s this ancient Greek thought experiment about a ship that’s had all its parts replaced over time. The question is, if you replace every part, is it still the same ship? And if you build a new ship with all the original parts, is that the original ship?

I was thinking about this while assembling furniture from IKEA. I’m standing there with a dozen pieces of wood, screws, and a baffling instruction manual. I’m like, ‘This is a lot like the Ship of Theseus. By the time I’m done, will this still be the same furniture I started with, or will it be a new creation entirely?’

I’m halfway through this project, and I’ve already lost track of what piece goes where. I’m just hoping it turns into a functional chair and not a modern art installation. If I replace the screws with random nails and add some duct tape for good measure, am I still putting together the same chair? Or have I created a completely new piece of furniture?

At this point, the only thing I’m sure of is that I’m not even sure if the chair will stay standing. I’m just waiting for it to collapse and become a new philosophical debate: ‘Is this the chair of Theseus, or just a very ambitious pile of splinters?’

So next time you’re building something from scratch and questioning your own sanity, remember: If you end up with something that vaguely resembles what you started with, you’ve probably succeeded in creating your own Ship of Theseus… or at least a chair you can sit on without it falling apart. Philosophical furniture design, folks. It’s all the rage!