Study Notes on Personal Identity - Module Two, Unit Four

This unit marks the beginning of Module Two, which focuses on the theme of personal identity.
The course structure consists of four modules, each comprising three units.

Properties: Refers to the qualities, characteristics, or features of a thing.
- Example: In the context of Barbie, many of her possessions are typically pink.
- Pink is described as an accidental property, not an essential one.

Accidental Properties:
- Definition: Features that can change without altering the fundamental nature of a thing.
- Example: Barbie can wear a purple dress instead of pink and still be recognizable as Barbie.
Essential Properties:
- Definition: Characteristics that, if altered, change the fundamental nature of the thing.
- Example: The thought experiment involving John Locke's concept of the mind and body.

Scenario: A prince's soul awakens in the body of a cobbler.
- Cobblers are individuals who make shoes.
- Key argument: The body is an accidental property, as it can change over time (e.g., aging, fitness).
- The mind is considered essential due to psychological continuity:
- Comprises memories, habits of thought, actions, and the narrative of the self that transcends physical changes.
Question of Identity:
- If the prince’s mind inhabits the body of a cobbler, does the mind define the identity?
- According to Locke, the person is the prince, not the cobbler, due to the essential nature of the mind.

Concept of Teleportation:
- Description: A technology that disassembles the body into particles and reconstructs it elsewhere.
- Example: Seen in science fiction, such as Star Trek.
Locke’s Perspective:
- The body is necessary for continuous existence of the mind.
- Issue: In teleportation, there is a brief suspension of identity (the body exists, then doesn't, and then exists again).
- Raises questions about the continuity of consciousness.
Critical Inquiry:
- If the mind is transported in a way that breaks continuity, is the consciousness the same?
- What happens if duplicates are made from the mind? Which one is the original identity?

Contrasting View: Parfit argues that there is no essential self.
- Unlike Locke, he asserts that consciousness does not require continuity.
Analogy with Operating Systems:
- When a computer is off, the operating system doesn't exist; it only comes to life with the hardware being operational.
- Parfit suggests identity is fluid, changing over time.

Changing Identity:
- Individuals are not the same from one day to another, nor over years.
- Reflection on personal growth: Experiences and memories influence our current identity.
- Parfit notes that memories are imperfect; they evolve as we remember and reinterpret them.
Fluid Sense of Self:
- Parfit posits that we are collections of thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which shift and adapt rather than being static and essential.
- Every aspect of identity can be considered an accidental property.

Parfit presents numerous scenarios to challenge the notion of a consistent identity:
- Questions such as: What if I removed parts of my brain? What if alternate versions of me existed?
- Emphasizes that he cannot find any essential property that determines identity; everything is subject to change.

Sociocultural Context:
- Parfit's conclusions may reflect his personal background as a privileged philosopher.
- The module will explore the broader social aspects of identity, their importance in public discourse, and the complexities in defining oneself.

The analysis of personal identity is complex and multifaceted, involving philosophical inquiry into what truly constitutes the self.
Upcoming discussions will delve into how social identities shape and influence personal identity.