Parfit’s View of Personal Identity
$1.95
2 word format
document in English
linguistics
presentation
published 07/08/2007
review : Completed
level : Advanced
requested 1 times
SummaryI intend to explicate Derek Parfit’s view regarding personal identity as non-branching psychological continuity as well as some of its ethical and emotional implications. In addition, I will present Parfit’s split-brain transplant thought experiment as evidence for his view that psychological continuity provides a criterion for identity. Further, I will discuss Bernard Williams’ rebuttal against Parfit’s view that psychological continuity is a criterion of identity. Finally, I will address the unresolved issue of the importance of personal identity surrounding the debate over the acceptance or rejection of Parfit’s view of personal identity.
Table of Contents
- Parfit's work rejects two 'common sense' views regarding problems of personal identity
- Parfit expresses the first standard view of personal identity
- Parfit defines identity as an all-or-nothing, one-one relation
- However, human behavior suggests there is a substantive self underneath
- Parfit employs a series of 'science fiction' thought experiments to defend his radical view of personal identity
- Acceptance of Parfit's theory of personal identity hinges on whether or not questions of personal identity are as nonsensical as Parfit frames them to be
Most downloaded documents over 30 days in linguistics Latest in the category linguistics From the same author
knowledge network