Locke Flashcards
What criteria qualifies someone as a person? (3)
- Thinking intelligent being
- Reason and Reflection
- Can consider itself as itself
Personal identity is…
consciousness and however far this may extend backwards in time
What does Locke think about substance (physical) and reference his thought experiment
Change in substance has no impact on personal identity
A severed hand is separated from the body and thus should not be a concern of the person any more than any other type of matter.
What does Locke think about substance (immaterial) and reference his thought experiment
If consciousness is absent you are no more that person than someone who doesn’t have the same soul
Locke uses Nestor as an example saying even if you had the same soul what does it matter if you cannot attribute his actions to yourself
Outline Sleeping Socrates
Awake Socrates should not take responsibility for Sleeping Socrates and vice versa as neither is aware of the consciousness of the other even though they are the same man
This would be like punishing one twin for what the other twin did
What does Locke think of laws?
Locke believes laws cannot distinguish between real and counterfeit and thus it is somewhat reasonable for them to offer reward or punishment to the best of their ability
However, he believes God will be able to judge us properly
What does Locke mean when he says the word person is a forensic term?
This is because it is used to appropriate action and their merit, responsibility
Outline circular argument objection
Basically, it can be argued that identity is a necessary criterion for memory and thus memory cannot be a necessary criterion for identity
I believe this is best raised when considering real and fake memories, there is nothing we can do to distinguish the two unless if we presuppose personal identity.
If I ask myself whether my memories of kindergarten happened to me I must use personal identity or I have no knowledge
From this Locke either has a flawed theory or can accept this objection but that is extremely problematic
Outline transitive method objection
If A = B and B = C then A = C
Locke theory goes against this, he believes if 50 year old (C) can remember 20 year old you (B) but cannot 6 year old you (A) you are not that person.
This is obviously a huge problem
Outline the teletransporter thought experiment
You want to travel to Mars, to do so you must step in a teletransporter where all your cells are scanned and then destroyed. They will be reconstructed to form ‘you’ on Mars. Under Locke’s theory, you would be the same person as the Martian has remembered being the Earthling. However, this cannot be the case at all. Although you may not be able to in any way distinguish the Martian from the Earthling they are not the same person. If I am the Earthling I have been erased, I am no longer conscious and even if my body is recreated it won’t be me conscious and exploring Mars.
Outline Williams’ thought experiment
Charles wakes up one morning and claims to have done and witnessed several things belonging to the life of Guy Fawkes, which is corroborated by historians.
Williams argues that Charles is not Guy Fawkes, physical continuity is necessary but not sufficient for personal identity. Two people can remember the same things but they cannot remember being the same person.
For example, if Charles’ brother Robert wakes up with the same condition are they both Guy Fawkes
