[deciplex]

>If there are two minds, and they come in to this form of contact, which survives?

Neither? Both?

You get a bunch of new memories and some shifts in your personality. If the new memories and personality shift come suddenly, I think a lot of people would consider that a 'death'. If they come gradually, I suppose it is not a death. But either way, the new mind is going to have the memories of both, is going to 'think' that it is both, so if you want to claim that this new mind is actually one or the other of the original minds, you're probably going to find yourself arguing against the very subject you're making the claims about.