Personal Identity

Student’s name
Instructor’s name
Philosophy
Date
Personal Identity
Locke disagrees that the soul influences personal identity. The soul theory infers the difficulty in changing the soul and the near-death events that allow the person remain as the true self over time. The soul is immaterial according to the theory. Similarly, the body theory infers that the body remains attached to the same person over time until death. Changes to the soul or the body are assumed to be difficult, thus a huge contributor to the belief that the two influence personal identity. Locke objects the above findings, expressly using religious beliefs of the expected changes of the soul during incarnation and the use of technology to clone body parts, as clear objects to the theoretical principles of both the soul and body theory on personal identity. Locke’s objections offer in-depth scrutiny to the influences of personal identity.
Locke’s objections are highly convincing since a plethora of criticisms of both theories has been demonstrated by different philosophers. A popular case about the Ship of Theseus repudiates non-changeability of the soul, offering a classic objection to the soul theory. Similarly, the existence of simulated events that may cause near-death experiences, especially the popular G-Force tests were undertaken fighter jets pilots, object on the principal references of the soul theory. Moreover, the memory theory adequately offers explanations on why consciousness influences personal identity (Kaufman 236).

The philosopher intimates that actions or events that occur while the person is conscious influence the formation of a unique personal identity. Decisions taken by the conscious person are easily remembered and influence attitudes of others on the person’s personality. The souls and body theory employ assumptions which influence personal identity but to do not influence personal identity make-up in the long-term.
Discussion Questions
Butler’s affirmation of virtue being derived from human nature offers important insights human nature. However, weaknesses in the argument exist. Elaborate the key objections to the use of human nature in understanding human virtues? Samuel Clarke’s refutation that matter can think resulted in a debate that became headlines for the majority of the eighteen century. Intuitively, explain why Locke’s explanations that matter can think were ultimately considered wrong after the century-long debate? David Hume’s theory of self-infers thus persons are a collection of matter. However, objections raised offer the significant argument against the theory. Explain objections of the theory based on language-reality and compression objections?
Works Cited
Kaufman, Dan. “Locke’s Theory of Identity.” A Companion to Locke (2015): 236.