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The Question of Personal Identity. The self is continuous (the same) in virtue of : The body The soul or mind (Descartes) Memory (Locke) There is no continuous, unchanging self; it is: an illusion and the source of suffering, desire, and vanity (Buddhism)
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The Question of Personal Identity The self is continuous (the same) in virtue of: The body The soul or mind (Descartes) Memory (Locke) There is no continuous, unchanging self; it is: an illusion and the source of suffering, desire, and vanity (Buddhism) a bundle of changing perceptions (Hume)
Views of Individuality Atomistic: the real self is independent of all external influences (Descartes) Autonomous: freedom and rationality presuppose that the self imposes its own laws on itself and does not depend on others (Kant) Interdependence: the self is defined by its relations with others—for example, to be recognized and respected—particularly in terms of culture (Hegel, Taylor). There are as many “selves” in me as there are groups of others who recognize me (Wm. James)