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Personal Identity

First-Person Perspective

(Text as at 26/11/2007 23:25:26)

*** THIS IS NOT THE LATEST VERSION OF THIS NOTE ***


(For the live version and other versions of this Note, see the tables at the end)

This needs spelling out – what does Baker think this is, and why does she think it so ontologically1 important. She seems to be obsessed by the thought that beings that can contemplate their own deaths2 are ontologically different. Why is this, rather that simply a phenomenally conscious3 perspective, that counts as the ontological watershed? Also, can we really use this term to explain4 personal identity, as “person5” appears in this term? If it’s supposed to be elucidatory of personal identity, we seem to have a circle. Really what’s important is that we have animals6 with these properties7. We can’t reify the property and make it a stand-alone thing, like the Cheshire Cat’s smile.


Live Version of this Archived Note

Date Length Title
06/07/2023 00:43:12 6228 First-Person Perspective

Earlier Version of this Note

Date Length Title
12/08/2007 10:17:46 728 First-Person Perspective

Table of the 7 Later Versions of this Note

Date Length Title
20/09/2022 11:24:00 5934 First-Person Perspective
10/05/2022 17:45:36 5368 First-Person Perspective
02/07/2021 20:32:38 4760 First-Person Perspective
11/02/2021 11:29:46 4441 First-Person Perspective
25/09/2020 11:08:10 3618 First-Person Perspective
13/02/2018 00:07:12 4726 First-Person Perspective
18/12/2010 19:58:05 1352 First-Person Perspective


This version updated Reading List for this Topic Parent Topic
26/11/2007 23:25:26 First-Person Perspective Person


Summary of Notes Links from this Page

Animals Consciousness Death Explanation Ontology
Person Properties      

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Summary of Note Links to this Page

Abbreviations, 2, 3, 4 Animalism, 2 Animals Body Connectedness vs Continuity, 2
Consciousness, 2 Convention Forensic Property Fusion Jen_080303 (Olson, Baillie), 2
Methuselah Multiple Personality Disorder Natural Kinds Psychological Continuity Ship of Theseus
Strawson - Why I Have No Future Taking Persons Seriously Thesis - Current Position    

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