1.1.1 Personal identity Notes

What Is Personal Identity?

1. It encompasses both physical and psychological aspects.
2. It raises questions about continuity and change over time.

Key Questions in Personal Identity

1. Who am I?
   1. This question explores the core of our existence and individuality.
2. What sort of metaphysical things are we?
   1. Are we bodies, minds, or something else entirely?
3. Are we independent beings or part of something else?
   1. This question examines our relationship to the world and others.
4. What matters in identity?
   1. Is it memory, consciousness, or something more?

The Importance of Personal Identity

1. Ethical Implications: Personal identity affects moral responsibility and accountability.
2. Existential Questions: It shapes our understanding of life, death, and meaning.
3. Practical Concerns: Identity influences legal and social issues, such as rights and obligations.

Theories of Personal Identity

1. The Body Theory

1. Core Idea: You are the same person as long as you have the same body.
2. Strengths:
   1. Provides a tangible basis for identity.
   2. Aligns with legal and social practices.
3. Weaknesses:
   1. Fails to account for psychological changes.
   2. Struggles with scenarios like brain transplants or body swaps.

2. The Psychological Continuity Theory

1. Core Idea: You are the same person if there is a continuous chain of psychological connections.
2. Strengths:
   1. Accounts for memory and consciousness.
   2. Explains identity in cases of physical change.
3. Weaknesses:
   1. Struggles with memory loss or amnesia.
   2. Raises questions about false or implanted memories.

3. The Soul Theory

1. Core Idea: You are the same person as long as you have the same soul.
2. Strengths:
   1. Provides a stable basis for identity.