What does Descartes say about identity?
With his ties to dualism, Descartes believed the mind is the seat of our consciousness. Because it houses our drives, intellect, and passions, it gives us our identity and our sense of self. Very loud criticisms of Descartes’s views are found in the works of Gilbert Ryle. He called dualism a category mistake.
What is the concept of self according to Rene Descartes?
Descartes’s concept of the self revolves around the idea of mind-body dualism. For Descartes, a human person is composed of two parts, namely, a material body and a non-material mind. In other words, for Descartes, it is the mind that makes us humans. Thus, for Descartes, the “mind” is the “real self”.
What are the theories of personal identity?
Two apparently physiological theories of personal identity are at bottom psychological, namely (i) the Brain Criterion, which holds that the spatiotemporal continuity of a single functioning brain constitutes personal identity; and (ii) the Physical Criterion, which holds that, necessarily, the spatiotemporal …
Why does Locke disagree with Descartes philosophy of personal identity?
A person must be able to think, reflect, and be self-aware, but these are not innate concepts. This is where Locke diverges from Descartes; a person is defined as “the same thinking thing in different times and places.” For Locke a person is only a person as far back as they can remember.
What is the contribution of Rene Descartes?
René Descartes invented analytical geometry and introduced skepticism as an essential part of the scientific method. He is regarded as one of the greatest philosophers in history. His analytical geometry was a tremendous conceptual breakthrough, linking the previously separate fields of geometry and algebra.
How is personal identity formed?
Various factors make up a person’s actual identity, including a sense of continuity, a sense of uniqueness from others, and a sense of affiliation based on their membership in various groups like family, ethnicity, and occupation.
What forms a person’s identity?
Identity is the qualities, beliefs, personality, looks and/or expressions that make a person (self-identity as emphasized in psychology) or group (collective identity as pre-eminent in sociology). A psychological identity relates to self-image (one’s mental model of oneself), self-esteem, and individuality.
What is the difference between Descartes and John Locke?
Locke thinks the soul and body are separate, but related. Descartes says that the self is, and is only, the thinking soul. In contrast, Locke says the self is both the soul and the body. Locke’s account of identity seems not to be directly in conflict with Descartes’ (as is the case for their theories of innate ideas).
What is the difference between the philosophies of Locke and Descartes when it comes to formation of the self?
Locke accepted his basic ideas about physics and philosophy, while he rejected the idea of a constant conscious thought with innate ideas. He agreed with the conscious soul of Descartes but concluded that the ultimate “substance” of the universe is a kind consciousness-bearing entity.
How did Rene Descartes explain the concept of personal identity?
On the other hand, Descartes focuses on meditations in trying to explain the concept of personal identity. He borrows from other scholastic views about the universe and God. Most of his understanding of personal identity immensely contributed to Locke’s theory later.
How did John Locke influence the theory of personal identity?
The preponderance of writing on the theory of personal identity in the past has been influenced by John Locke notwithstanding Descartes’ understanding was a necessary departure from previously agreed upon philosophies.
How did Descartes describe the process of learning?
In a passage from his Discourse on Method, Descartes contrasts the process of learning to construct knowledge by thinking independently with simply absorbing information from authorities:
Which is the third criterion of personal identity?
A third criterion of personal identity is that we are our bodies, that is to say, that personal identity is constituted by some brute physical relation between, for example, different bodies or different life-sustaining systems at different times.