Christina Markee
Section 13 Group 2
Philosophy Final Project
Part 2 of 4
John
Locke
When
John Locke presented us with the question, “are you the same person as you were
a baby?” I could not help but ponder this thought. Many different ideas had
crossed through my mind. First being, well, yes of course I am the same person
I was as a baby. I look the same and in some sense act the same unfortunately.
I do agree with Locke’s belief that the mind of a newborn is like a blank
slate. Of course we don’t know anything when we are born. I believe that we
grow throughout life, but not change. I believe that I am still the same person
I was as a baby. I may have learned and experienced more along the journey from
then until now. Locke also stated that all of our knowledge come from our
experience in life, which I agree with. The more you can experience the more
you know. When begins to compare this theory to a sock, I believe when the sock
gets to the point in which none of its material is original it is no longer the
same sock. You could compare this to plastic surgery in a way. If you keep
changing physical aspects of your body you are definitely not the same person
you were as a baby because you have physically changed yourself. As Locke moves
on to talk about being the same “man” but not the same person I was previously.
I tend to disagree with that statement, I've been the same “man” all along. I've only grown as a person. I don’t believe you are never not the same person as
you once were, I believe you are the same person that grows as an individual
over time. I wouldn't use the word change because changing means you are
becoming different. Growing means your are staying the same but maturing and
progressing.
For the Andy Griffith fans: Goober once remarked on the metaphysics of personal identity: "If a man's his-self, how can he change? If he changes, how can he be his-self?"
ReplyDeleteGoober was not a great philosopher.