Essay on John Locke’s Theory of Personal Identity

To understand Locke’s concept of personal identity it is necessary to understand what he means by identity and what he means specifically by personal identity. Locke states there are three substances that we have ideas of and that have identities. He defines idea in Essay concerning Human Understanding as â€Å"whatsoever is the object of the understanding when a man thinks† (Essay, chapter 1, section 8). That is to say that an idea, to Locke, is the basic unit of human thought. Identity is based off of comparison of these ideas in different times and places. Locke first splits substances of which we have ideas into three groups: God, finite intelligences, and bodies. Locke writes that identity is ascertained by a comparison between the idea†¦show more content†¦Consciousness alone defines personal identity. Without being cognizant of the sensations and ideas that pass through one’s own mind, there can be no idea of self. Without sensing that I am sensing, there is no certainty that I are not a simple observer. The experience would be akin to watching a movie shot through someone else’s eyes. I can see what they see, but certainly cannot sense that I am seeing these objects myself. I would be under no illusions that the video was my own experience. I would be a step removed, and the experience would not be my own. The substances of body and soul do not play a part in personal identity. After all, a body can change while a person stays the same. Someone can lose an arm or get taller, and still be considered the same person. This is because of the continuity of the consciousness. If personal identity were based in the substance or form of the body we would constantly be changing identity as we grow. And if it were based on the substance of soul, someone claiming to be a reincarnation of Winston Churchill, and therefore having the same soul, would be exactly as Churchill. The real seat of Churchill’s personal identity, though, lies in the consciousness of the actions he took in his life, and not purely in his soul. The idea of self is based on the fact that you are conscious of your past and future choices. That is to sayShow MoreRelatedLocke And John Lockes Theory On Personal Identity860 Words   |  4 Pages Personal Identity or ‘Self’ has been a very important topic for philosophers for many years. Personal identity is how you describe or think of being which is derived from memories that have taken place over the years. John Locke was a philosopher who believed that your ‘Self’ or personal identity come from memory which is also referred to as consciousness in Locke’s writings. Locke believed that you are who you are, because your thoughts are yours alone no matter the vessel. 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