Personal Identity
Philosophers have argued about what it is that makes us who we are for a very long time. What is it that sets us apart not only from other species, but also from each other as individuals? There are many ways to approach this issue, which can be first separated into two categories: the Mental and the Physical. The mental approach takes into account such things as emotions and feelings, whereas the physical approach focuses on the role of the body and brain in determining exactly who we are. There are four major theories that attempt to explain what it is that is responsible for our identities. These include the Soul Theory, the Body Theory, the Memory Theory, and the Brain Theory. All four of these theories are relevant in determining the source of our identity, but it can be argued that certain theories are more relevant than others. Personally, I have always supported the scientific argument. That is, I tend to not speculate on ideas that have not or cannot be proven by science in some way. It is because of this that I believe the most important part of our personal identity is our brain. By stating this I am not implying that the other theories are unimportant, but rather that they account for o
One could argue that memories are simply more specific accounts of past experiences, which is why memories can fade, distort, or exaggerate reality. As far as we know, they are not, because any severance of the brain from the body almost always results in death. For the sake of argument, however, she does make some valid points regarding the relationship between the two. These are all stored as memories in the brain of the person riding the bicycle. Nefarious takes on the role of an evil mad scientist who possesses insanely advanced technological devices, allowing him to perform terrible experiments on human subjects. By combining complex thoughts with complex events, we begin to develop our own thought patterns and develop reasoning and rationalization skills. By removing the brain from this body and placing it in a completely different one, all of these correlations are broken, and the brain cannot adapt as quickly to its new surroundings. This theory is based primarily from religion, and has been used as an attempt to define our own uniqueness in ways that science cannot. The basis of our individuality is perhaps one of the most difficult issues to really explain with certainty. John Locke's Memory Theory describes in more detail how people perceive reality, and how our memories and thoughts are related. She poses the bicycle question, which asks if the person whose brain stayed in tact had learned to ride a bicycle whereas the body of the stroke victim did not, would the survivor be able to ride a bicycle? Her argument claims that, "it is nonetheless clear to all of us that brains alone do not learn to ride bicycles, or, indeed, do brains alone remember having done so. The brain would have to re-establish the correlations between prior memories and its current body. Most of these simple thoughts are created from simple interactions and experiences with our five senses. It is what ties the physical with the mental and brings everything together as one entity. One has had their body crushed by a steamroller but still has their brain in tact, and the other has suffered from a stroke but still has a perfectly healthy body.
Common topics in this essay:
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Ronald Reagan,
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Acceptance Essays
