TagPersonal identity
The Ship of Theseus and the Philosophy of Identity
Host Robert J. Marks welcomes back Walter Myers to discuss the philosophical concept of the Ship of Theseus, a paradox about whether an object remains the same after all of its original components have been gradually replaced. Myers explains the history and origins of the paradox and explores how it relates to questions of personal identity, the mind-body problem, and Read More ›
Exploring Personal Identity: More from Dr. Jonathan Loose
In this episode of Mind Matters News, hosts Robert J. Marks and Angus Menuge continue their discussion with Dr. Jonathan J. Loose, author of the chapter “The Simple Theory of Personal Identity and the Life Scientific” in the book Minding the Brain. They explore thought experiments that challenge the idea that personal identity is solely determined by physical and psychological continuity. Read More ›
Life in the Plural: If There Were Two of You, Would “You” Exist?
According to philosopher Angus Menuge, there can’t be two of you, because two things cannot be one thing.In the third podcast of the series, “Unity of Consciousness,” Walter Bradley Center director Robert J. Marks interviews Angus Menuge, professor and chair of philosophy at Concordia University, on unique features of human consciousness, including the fact that our experiences are a unity, which has prompted some interesting thought experiments, for example those of Richard Swinburne. But here’s another one: What if there really were two of you? https://episodes.castos.com/mindmatters/Angus-Menuge-Episode-3-rev1.mp3 This portion begins at 06:49 min. A partial transcript, Show Notes, and Additional Resources follow. Robert J. Marks: What is the idea of “too many thinkers” in philosophy? Angus Menuge (pictured): The simple view of personal identity is that your soul or your mind is always you. That’s a dualist view. Read More ›
Does Split-brain Surgery Show That We Have No Real Identity?
A prominent philosopher built his career arguing against the existence of personal identityOne of the most bizarre consequences of the modernist materialist conception of human beings is the notion that personal identity is not real or not continuous. This view is, of course, contrary in every way to the lived experience of each of us. Like everyone else, I am the same person I was as a child, and the same person I will be a moment before my death. I am me, and I am no other. Of course, at different times of my life I have had different memories, experiences, and perceptions, but it is the same I (the only I) that has them. This is so fundamental to reality that it seems beyond question. It is not even clear Read More ›