Personal Identity Concepts and Theories

A collection of key terms and definitions related to the theories and concepts of personal identity discussed in the lecture.

Personal Identity

What makes someone 'the same person' over time, including theories and views regarding its nature.

Realist Camp

The belief that persons really exist as distinct entities.

Anti-Realist Camp

The assertion that what we refer to as a 'person' is merely a collection of perceptions and experiences, with no independent existence.

Bodily Continuity View

A perspective that defines a person as the same biological entity, asserting identity through the continuity of the body.

Psychological Continuity View

The theory that personal identity is established through the continuity of consciousness, including memories and personality.

Locke's Body-Switch Example

A thought experiment illustrating the problem of defining identity solely by bodily continuity, questioning if two individuals who switched bodies would remain the same persons.

Consciousness

The fundamental aspect of personal identity, enabling a person to be aware of themselves as the same entity across time and experiences.

David Hume's Anti-Realism

A theory proposing that the self is just a bundle of perceptions, rejecting the traditional notion of a stable identity.

Principium Individuationis

The principle of individuation; what makes an individual distinct and identifiable.

Identity of substances

The concept that an object's identity is maintained through its continued existence, despite possible changes in its components.

Same Person vs. Same Man

The distinction between the psychological continuity that defines personal identity and the biological aspect concerning physical identity.

Kant's Critique of Hume

The argument that Hume's concept of identity as a mere collection of perceptions fails to account for persistent traits like habits and beliefs that suggest a real self.

Memory and Identity

The role of memory in establishing personal identity, highlighting that continuity of memory may define whether someone is regarded as the same person.

Amnesia

A condition that raises questions about personal identity, as loss of memory may complicate the continuity of self.

Philosophical Implications of Identity

The significance of understanding personal identity in the context of moral accountability, especially regarding reward and punishment.

Logical Positivists

Modern proponents of anti-realism who derive their views from Hume, questioning traditional metaphysical concepts.

Descartes' Influence on Personal Identity

The philosophical lineage of ideas regarding identity, especially concerning the nature of the self, as discussed by Locke and others.

Eastern Philosophy on Identity

Philosophical traditions that generally align with anti-realist perspectives on self and identity.

Psychological Properties

Characteristics like memories and personality that, according to Locke, maintain an individual's identity over time.