3RD Flashcards
The Soul Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P1 has the same soul as P2.
The Body Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P1 has the same body as P2.
The Memory Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P2 can, at T2, remember the thoughts or actions of P1 at T1.
The Revised Memory Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P2’s apparent memories at T2 are caused, in the right sort of way, by P1’s experiences at T1.
The Psychological Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P2 is psychologically continuous with P1.
The Non-Branching Psychological Theory:
For any persons, P1 and P2, and times T1 and T2 (T1≠T2), such that P1 exists at T1 and P2 exists at T2, P1 is the same person as P2 only, if and because, P2 is psychologically continuous with P1 and there is no branching.
P1 is psychologically continuous with P2=df .
P1 and P2 are connected by a series of person-stages where the psychological states of each stage depend, in an appropriate way, on its predecessor’s.
Transitivity:
For all x, y, and z, if x=y and y=z, then x=z.
Symmetry:
For all x and y, if x=y, then y=x.
Briefly explain Locke’s prince and the cobbler objection to the body theory.
Imagine the body of a prince has become vacant (lost its soul) and become inhabited by the soul of a cobbler. The soul of the cobbler would now suddenly become responsible for the actions of the prince. Even though the body of the prince has persisted, it may not act or think similarly at all.
Briefly explain Reid’s brave young officer objection to the memory theory.
Imagine that a young boy has been flogged for stealing an apple. That boy grows up to be an officer who takes the standard. The officer is promoted to a general position, but does not remember when he was a young boy being beaten for stealing the apple. Since the now general cannot remember being beaten for committing the crime, he is not the same person, meaning not responsible for those actions he committed as a child. Though, the boy is identical to the officer, and the officer is identical to the general. By transitivity, we can say that the general is identical to the boy, but this derives a contradiction; namely, the officer both is and is not identical to the boy.
Briefly explain the circularity objection to the memory theory.
The memory theory defines someone’s personal identity in terms of their memories, but also defines someone’s memories in terms of being the “same person.” This theory presupposes personal identity because it seems natural to determine memory in terms of personal identity.
Briefly explain the problem that fission creates for the psychological theory.
person P1 is the same as P2 only if, and because, P2 is psychologically continuous with P1. Fission gives us an interesting problem when considering two halves of a single brain being transplanted into separate bodies creating a paradox of identical persons.
