Lecture Notes on Personal Identity

Introduction to Personal Identity

• Over a lifetime, we undergo significant changes physically and mentally.
• Example: We start as 50 cm infants and could evolve into 180 cm elderly individuals.
• Each cell in our body is replaced multiple times, and memories fade over time.
• Despite having the same name, our identity can be questioned.

Key Questions about Identity

• In what ways are we continuous over time?
• What guarantees our perception as the same person throughout life?
• Where is personal identity located?

The Body as the Basis of Identity

• Common assumption: Personal identity is tied to our physical body.
• Thought experiments to challenge this:
  • If we lose hair, fingers, or limbs, are we still ourselves?
  • Most would agree we remain ourselves even if body parts are lost.
• If forced to lose all body parts but keep one, most would choose the brain.

The Role of the Brain and Soul

• Philosophical considerations:
  • Christianity suggests a separation of body and soul after death.
  • The soul is viewed as a more substantial part of our identity.
• In romantic contexts, individuals want to be loved for their deeper self, not just physical attributes.

The Brain's Role in Identity

• What part of the brain is essential for being 'me'?
• Loss of specific skills (e.g., playing table tennis) does not change our identity.
• Both technical abilities and memories can fade without affecting our core identity.

The Concept of Character

• Personal identity may rely more on character rather than memory or physical survival.
• Character includes:
  • Responses to situations
  • Values and temperament
• Even without memories, if character persists, we remain the same person.

John Locke's View on Personal Identity

• Locke posits that identity is about 'sameness of consciousness'.
• Choosing between memory and consistent values reveals the importance of character.

Implications for Death and Identity

• Death is often viewed as the end of identity.
• If identity is tied to values and character, it can persist beyond physical death.
• Ideas and proclivities survive through subsequent generations.

Conclusion

• We may find solace in understanding that we are not solely defined by physical traits.
• Our essence, values, and ideas contribute to a longer-lasting identity beyond our physical existence.