Identity And Personal Identity

In this paper, I will argue that the Memory Theory of Personal Identity is the closest to the truth. I will do so by showing that the opposing theories – Body and Soul Theories – have evident flaws and that the

From a young age, I was taught to respect people no matter their station in life. My parents and others I was around frequently, simply did not allow for disrespect, often I was corrected swiftly but fairly. The parenting I received is a large part of the parent I am, as well as, the person I am. I maintain a happy go lucky demeanor, I suppose the nation I was raised in, and along with the fact that I have never really known violence on a day to day basis as too many others in the world are subject to allows me to seek perspective without fear of persecution or bodily harm. I have many friends from various walks of life. I have crashed on their couches and they mine, and security I find in those relationships has helped me through tough times and allowed me to feel good when I help in turn. Being an overall good person without religion being the guiding force in my life is a big part of my identity. There is no fear of “hell” or a bad scenario in the hereafter, so my attitude on life is not forced or faked. One final influence on my identity is my early adoption of technology, I have always enjoyed gadgets and computers and feel it has made me useful and I will maintain that feeling into old age as I understand tech more than most my age I’d speculate. All of this combined makes my identity, I do my best to avoid negative influences, and sometimes positive ones, in order to make up my own mind about each new scenario I am placed into.

With any philosophical theory, there are many different sides to each topic. The first argument that will be discussed about personal identity is the psychological approach. People who stand by the psychological approach concerning personal identity believe that a person’s memories and their personality traits make up who they are. According to this approach, throughout your life you will continue to be the same person because your memories and personality will never

In, “A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality,” the author, John Perry, proposes three totally different ways of thinking about personal identity. The first theory is presented by a character named Gretchen Weirob, she believes that a person is their body. By this she means that a person’s identity is intertwined with the DNA and molecules of their body. Their personality as well as their personal identity can’t be separated from their body, and they cannot exist without it. The second theory was presented by a character named Sam Miller, he believes that a person is their immaterial soul. So in general, Sam thinks that the soul is this invisible, immaterial substance that is able to exist from the body. The third and final theory was presented by a character named Dave Cohen. Cohen believes that a person has continuity of memory, and/or psychology. So in general Cohen’s theory is that personal identity is a set of correlating experiences and/or memories enclosed in the brain. All three of the personal identity theories state some very valid points, but they also have some inconsistencies, some more than others. But there is one theory that seems to be the most credible, and creates a very compelling argument while also having a little science to back up some of its points.

A person is a thinking thing that has reason and reflection and thinks of itself as the same thinking thing over time.  John Locke, an English philosopher argued that what makes a person able to identify themselves through time is continuity of one's memories and not the substance of the body.  Bernard Williams, another English philosopher criticized Locke's theory of personal identity through his body switching experiment.  William's argued that personal identity is found on the body and continuity of one's memories isn't necessary for personal identity.  I am going to argue that personal identity is found on continuity of one's memories by presenting Locke's view of personal identity, presenting William's criticism of Locke's theory through his body switching experiments, and providing my own reasons on why personal identity can be found on continuity of one's memories and not the substance of the body.

Identity is defined as the qualities that distinguish one from someone else. Thus, self- identity is how one characterizes themselves as an individual. This may at first seem easy to conclude. One might say I am me because I look in the mirror and recognize myself. Or, I am me because I possess a mind and memories unique to me that cannot be replicated by another in the same perspective. However, the body and the mind undergo constant change throughout life, so how can they be attributed to one’s “sameness”? I have arrived at the problem of self-identity, what makes one person the same over time? I assert that in addition to the presence of unique physical and mental substance, in each person is a constant factor that cannot be altered. I shall show that the problem of self-identity is solved with both the existence of a soul as well as psychological makeup; X is the same as Y so long as X possesses the same soul, body and consciousness as Y.

Identity criteria is a main component of who a person really is, central elements of how someone sees who they are and essential properties are argued to determine a person’s identity. How philosophers view the soul is essential one’s personality. The dualists believe that wherever the soul goes, that’s where the mind goes. The dualists view is based off of the fact that there is more to our brain and ourselves than just the physical aspect, the soul strongly supports this claim. Materialism argues against the dualists because they only believe in the physical component of the world, in their eyes a soul does not exist. Lastly, in the psychological view, John Locke implemented memory into personal identity. Leibniz and Reid challenged Locke’s ideas and came up with a reasonable conclusion.

The topic of discussion is personal identity: who we are or what we define ourselves to be, allowing for a distinguishing factor between our personal identity and other personal identities. Personal identity is subject to varying definitions and perspectives all while asking questions like: What establishes a personal identity, what factors entail a personal identity, how is personal identity created, is personal identity capable of being replicated etc. However, one particular manner in which personal identity becomes a subject of disagreement is whether the identity of a person is able to persist through time? Two philosophers, John

In fact, gender rules and traditional stereotypes are fading in recent society, people are starting to stand in individualism, confidence and rebellion as their main standpoint, they are likely to steer clear of conformity and refuse stereotypes that they deny to be in line with the traditionally defined masculinity and femininity J Maureen Henderson (2014).

I can definitely relate to identity issues. I am biracial (Black and Asian), and people can be very unforgiving sometimes. They make too many assumptions about your race, and some would blatantly ask, "what's breed?" (blinks). However, when you tell them racial background, they somehow find it objectionable. They are not convinced because it's either you’re not Black enough or not Asian enough. They also tend to become angry if you don’t choose one side or another. Sometimes, I desperately want to tell people that I am not a dog; my "breed" is not

The concept of personal identity examines what makes a person at one time identical with a person at another. Many philosophers believe we are always changing and therefore, we cannot have a persisting identity if we are different from one moment to the next. However, many philosophers believe there is some important feature that determines a person’s identity and keeps it persistent. For John Locke, this important feature is memory, and I agree. Memory is the most important feature in determining a person’s identity as memory is a necessary and sufficient condition of personal identity.

However, other theories come into play and reject the psychological approach to explaining personal identity and it’s persistence over time; claims that continuity of the brain and memory are not enough to explain and confirm personal identity are made. These theories include the biological approach, the dualist theory, and the materialist approach from Shoemaker, which involves the memory theory. Through the review of these theories respectively, a clearer understanding of personal identity can be developed and argued for. Following this, we can begin to see how cases of multiples personalities or identities can be argued to exist as well.

I will be writing on the topic of personal identity. Personal identity is the issue whether a person whose growing, changes and life experiences changes one self’s. It can possibly be that a person may still remain with the same personal identity over the time only if that person doesn’t lose their full memory. In that case are we the same person we used to be even if we lost our memory? In the other hand, are we going to be the same person in the future? Personal identity can be either classified or define in the soul/mind or in the body. According to Locke, our personal identity is defined in the mind and according to Reid who critiques Locke theory by stating that if his theory is correct then someone conscious can move from one person to another person. They both have very different perspectives on this certain topic in which I will be talking about furthermore.

Up to this point, I have used the terms “self” and “identity,” including various compound terms for or with them, without attempting to define or distinguish them. Before continuing, and prior to any further discussion of how narrative and memory influence identity, I wish to clarify these terms as best as I am able. As McAdams (2003) notes, both social scientists and laypersons use “self” and “identity” interchangeably in many circumstances. The increasing use of “identity” and explorations of the topic, particularly among anthropologists and sociologists, highlights and exacerbates the difficulty of pinning down a singular, clear, and concise meaning of the term. While endlessly debated, “identity” and “self” still remain useful concepts in the social sciences to talk about “key manifestations of our awareness of ourselves as persons” (Eakin 2008:xii).

Self-Identity is awareness of the question “Who am I?” There are many aspects that contribute to one’s self-identity, from race, religion, ethnicity, nationality, gender, culture, etc. Culture is a social concept of the social behavior and norms found in society. it can help shape our personal identity. For instance, I am Nigerian-American. I was born and raised in the United States, but my family is all Nigerian. I have the cultural influence from Nigerians its shown in the foods I eat, the way I dress, and even speak to others. But also because I was born here, American culture has also influenced the way I eat, dress, and talk. Both cultures are intertwined with one another. Since we humans are social beings, our knowledge, behavioral patterns, and beliefs all come from the social group that we are surrounded by. Our choice of clothing, career choice, relationships, are all influenced by social surroundings. Hence culture playing a huge role in our self-identity.