What is that makes a person’s identity? Is it the appearance, such as body shape, hair, facial features, or is it someone’s mental thoughts and memories? In “The Self and the Future”, Bernard William’s analyzes the topic of personal identity with possible objections and outcomes. He brings forth the idea of the body theory and the mind theory while creating two thought experiments to further prove his point that both are necessary. In this paper I will consider what exactly creates personal identity while I assume that an idea of personal identity already exists. Bernard Williams begins his paper with an experiment regarding two very different individuals. Let us suppose that there one person in body A and the other in Body B, and they have
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The experimenter can only give one person what they want, but it is true that both A and B will remember that they either were lucky or not lucky. While Williams is able to explain how the mind interweaves with the idea of personal identity, he also adds in that certain traits or feelings such as anxiety or fear will remain present to that specific person and they will continue to feel it even after their bodies are switched. This proves that psychological continuity after the body is switched is still present and that psychology is consistent with you individually. Therefore, Williams very loosely acknowledges Descartes ideas on the mind and body, but it is clear that he does not have strong support for it. Later in his second thought experiment he also establishers that the body cannot just disappear and let the mind continue on its own (Williams 167), which thus disagrees with Descartes on the mind and body functioning completely separately and that the mind has the ability to function on its own. …show more content…
At times I wonder what makes me Isaar? When looking in the mirror I am able to recognize myself due to the idea of what I have in my brain and also the physical appearance that I see in front of me. At this time both are used in a connected sense to perceive my identity. Also, I wish to revisit the idea that memories and experiences are formed at a certain time in a specific way are due to the the appearance or body. For example, someone who is healthy and exercises many times a week cannot have the same experience running a race as someone who is slightly overweight and does not exercise at all. Williams also discusses this when speaking about a possiblility of one body having a wooden leg. The second person would start off wihout knowing how to function properly (Williams 166). Also to continue my point earlier, even though I may not remember some experiences of when I was little or I may not look completely the same, I have someone else who can confident state that I was that person back then and I would not question it because deep down somewhere I knew that it was really me. I can vaguely recall that I am still that same person but my identity is changing from young Isaar to older Isaar or from childish Isaar to more mature Isaar and thereon and so is my body as it it growing. This idea is called having a “numerical identity”, according to John Perry in “First Night”, where you
The experimenter can only give one person what they want, but it is true that both A and B will remember that they either were lucky or not lucky. While Williams is able to explain how the mind interweaves with the idea of personal identity, he also adds in that certain traits or feelings such as anxiety or fear will remain present to that specific person and they will continue to feel it even after their bodies are switched. This proves that psychological continuity after the body is switched is still present and that psychology is consistent with you individually. Therefore, Williams very loosely acknowledges Descartes ideas on the mind and body, but it is clear that he does not have strong support for it. Later in his second thought experiment he also establishers that the body cannot just disappear and let the mind continue on its own (Williams 167), which thus disagrees with Descartes on the mind and body functioning completely separately and that the mind has the ability to function on its own. …show more content…
At times I wonder what makes me Isaar? When looking in the mirror I am able to recognize myself due to the idea of what I have in my brain and also the physical appearance that I see in front of me. At this time both are used in a connected sense to perceive my identity. Also, I wish to revisit the idea that memories and experiences are formed at a certain time in a specific way are due to the the appearance or body. For example, someone who is healthy and exercises many times a week cannot have the same experience running a race as someone who is slightly overweight and does not exercise at all. Williams also discusses this when speaking about a possiblility of one body having a wooden leg. The second person would start off wihout knowing how to function properly (Williams 166). Also to continue my point earlier, even though I may not remember some experiences of when I was little or I may not look completely the same, I have someone else who can confident state that I was that person back then and I would not question it because deep down somewhere I knew that it was really me. I can vaguely recall that I am still that same person but my identity is changing from young Isaar to older Isaar or from childish Isaar to more mature Isaar and thereon and so is my body as it it growing. This idea is called having a “numerical identity”, according to John Perry in “First Night”, where you