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 other, not as prevalent aspects of our individuality. Professor Meredith W. Michaels wrote a short passage called "Persons, Brains, and Bodies," in which she uses a fictional situation to analyze the brain argument. In this enactment, she describes a situation between two characters that have suffered unfortunate accidents. 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. The question here is that if by some miracle of technology we were able to put the healthy brain inside the fit body, which of the two people would survive? Because I am such a realist, I don't even feel this question should be p...