Philosophy 1050: Philosophy 1050: Introduction to PhilosophyIntroduction to Philosophy

Week 4: Personal Identity III Week 4: Personal Identity III and Platoand Plato

Personal Identity: The Personal Identity: The Brain/Body TransplantBrain/Body Transplant

• (p. 38) The BRAIN of Julia North is (p. 38) The BRAIN of Julia North is transplanted into the BODY of Mary transplanted into the BODY of Mary Frances Beaudine. Frances Beaudine.

• Who is the survivor? Is it North, Who is the survivor? Is it North, whose attitudes, beliefs, and whose attitudes, beliefs, and judgments remain? Or is it Beaudine, judgments remain? Or is it Beaudine, whose body remains?whose body remains?

• Who decides?Who decides?

Personal Identity: The Personal Identity: The Brain/Body TransplantBrain/Body Transplant

• In the brain transplant case, we get In the brain transplant case, we get different answers to the question of different answers to the question of who survives depending on the who survives depending on the criterioncriterion we use for personal identity. we use for personal identity. If we use the If we use the bodybody as a criterion, it as a criterion, it seems that Mary Frances Beaudine seems that Mary Frances Beaudine survives. If we use the survives. If we use the brainbrain, , memorymemory, or , or psychologicalpsychological continuitycontinuity as the criterion, it seems as the criterion, it seems that Julia North survives.that Julia North survives.

SummarySummary

• We have assessed various ways of We have assessed various ways of answering the question “what makes answering the question “what makes me, me, over time?” and considered me, me, over time?” and considered various various criteriacriteria for personal identity: for personal identity: – BodyBody– Immaterial SoulImmaterial Soul– Psychological continuity (continuity of Psychological continuity (continuity of

memory)memory)– BrainBrain

SummarySummary• NoneNone of these answers to the question of of these answers to the question of

personal identity is clearly correct. personal identity is clearly correct. Each Each oneone has possible objections and responses has possible objections and responses

• But by thinking about these answers and the But by thinking about these answers and the responses, we are getting clearer on responses, we are getting clearer on what what we ourselves thinkwe ourselves think and and why we think so why we think so (the (the reasoningreasoning and and thoughtthought behind our behind our everyday assumptionseveryday assumptions and and beliefsbeliefs). ).

• By thinking through unusual cases, we find By thinking through unusual cases, we find out what we think, and why we think so, in out what we think, and why we think so, in everyday cases as well.everyday cases as well.

Plato: The World of SocratesPlato: The World of Socrates

• Socrates was born Socrates was born around 470 BC and around 470 BC and died around 399 BC.died around 399 BC.

• When he was about When he was about 40 years old, he 40 years old, he began asking began asking questions about questions about wisdom, wisdom, knowledge, knowledge, justice, virtue, and justice, virtue, and truthtruth..

Socrates and the Sophists: Socrates and the Sophists: The “teachers of virtue”The “teachers of virtue”

• In Socrates’ time, growing skepticism In Socrates’ time, growing skepticism and doubts were beginning to take the and doubts were beginning to take the place of traditional mythological place of traditional mythological explanationsexplanations

• SophistsSophists took their name from the took their name from the word for wisdom (“sophia”)word for wisdom (“sophia”)

• These “wise men” could, for pay, teach These “wise men” could, for pay, teach anyone how to argue and win a caseanyone how to argue and win a case

Socrates and the sophists: Socrates and the sophists: The teachers of virtueThe teachers of virtue

• Instead of practicing Instead of practicing sophistry, sophistry, Socrates undertook to practice Socrates undertook to practice philosophyphilosophy or the “love of wisdom” or the “love of wisdom”

• Philosophy meant using dialogue and Philosophy meant using dialogue and argument to get to the argument to get to the bestbest or the or the true true answeranswer, the one supported by the , the one supported by the better reasonsbetter reasons, rather than just , rather than just whatever side we are arguing at the whatever side we are arguing at the momentmoment

Socrates and the Delphic Socrates and the Delphic oracleoracle

• The The oracle at Delphioracle at Delphi was one of the most was one of the most important religious centers of the Greek important religious centers of the Greek worldworld

• The priestess of the oracle would go into a The priestess of the oracle would go into a trance state and answer questions about trance state and answer questions about the future, the right courses of action, and the future, the right courses of action, and the destiny of nations and empiresthe destiny of nations and empires

• Socrates’ friend Chaerephon went to the Socrates’ friend Chaerephon went to the oracle to ask whether there was anyone oracle to ask whether there was anyone wiser than Socrateswiser than Socrates

Socrates and wisdomSocrates and wisdom• The oracle answered: NO. There is no The oracle answered: NO. There is no

one wiser than Socrates.one wiser than Socrates.

• At first, Socrates could not At first, Socrates could not understand the answer, since he understand the answer, since he knew nothing special. He was not an knew nothing special. He was not an expert in any particular craft or expert in any particular craft or science. He went looking for others science. He went looking for others wiser than him to refute the oracle.wiser than him to refute the oracle.

Socrates and wisdomSocrates and wisdom

• Socrates found that most of the people who Socrates found that most of the people who were called wise actually knew nothing more were called wise actually knew nothing more than he did.than he did.

• ““So I withdrew and thought to myself: ‘I am So I withdrew and thought to myself: ‘I am wiser than [the ones called wise]; it is likely wiser than [the ones called wise]; it is likely that neither of us knows anything that neither of us knows anything worthwhile, but they think they know worthwhile, but they think they know something when they do not, whereas when something when they do not, whereas when I do not know, neither do I think I know; so I I do not know, neither do I think I know; so I am likely to be wiser to this small extent, am likely to be wiser to this small extent, that I do not think I know what I do not that I do not think I know what I do not know.” (Apology, 21d-e)know.” (Apology, 21d-e)

Socrates and Virtue: Meno’s Socrates and Virtue: Meno’s questionquestion

• Virtue (Virtue (aretearete): the excellence or ): the excellence or perfection of a human beingperfection of a human being

• Is Virtue teachable? Can it be learned Is Virtue teachable? Can it be learned from a wiser person? If so, how can it from a wiser person? If so, how can it be taught and learned? Who should be taught and learned? Who should we trust to teach it to our children?we trust to teach it to our children?

• Does anyone actually know what Does anyone actually know what virtue is?virtue is?

Socrates and VirtueSocrates and Virtue• Meno’s first definition (pp. 60-61): “…If Meno’s first definition (pp. 60-61): “…If

you want the virtue of a man, it is easy you want the virtue of a man, it is easy to say that a man’s virtue consists of to say that a man’s virtue consists of being able to manage public affairs and being able to manage public affairs and in so doing to benefit his friends and in so doing to benefit his friends and harm his enemies … if you want the harm his enemies … if you want the virtue of a woman … she must manage virtue of a woman … she must manage the home well, preserve its possessions, the home well, preserve its possessions, and be submissive to her husband…”and be submissive to her husband…”

Virtue and DefinitionsVirtue and Definitions

• Why does Socrates want a single Why does Socrates want a single definition of “virtue”?definition of “virtue”?

• What do we learn when we define What do we learn when we define things?things?

• Why do we define something one Why do we define something one way rather than another?way rather than another?

Socrates: defining Socrates: defining definition definition

• ““Even if [the virtues] are many and Even if [the virtues] are many and various, all of them have one and the various, all of them have one and the same form which makes them same form which makes them virtues, and it is right to look to this virtues, and it is right to look to this when one is asked to make clear when one is asked to make clear what virtue is.” (p. 61)what virtue is.” (p. 61)

• Other examples: health, size, Other examples: health, size, strength.strength.

Exercise: Definitions and Exercise: Definitions and ReasonsReasons

• Giving definitionsGiving definitions of concepts like of concepts like “virtue” means “virtue” means giving reasonsgiving reasons for for why we think the way we do.why we think the way we do.

• In In giving reasonsgiving reasons, we are not just , we are not just giving “our opinion.” We are adding giving “our opinion.” We are adding to our opinion a to our opinion a basisbasis that we can that we can discuss, defend, and criticize.discuss, defend, and criticize.

Socrates and Virtue: The road Socrates and Virtue: The road to Larissato Larissa

• “…“…For true opinions, as long as they For true opinions, as long as they remain, are a fine thing … but they remain, are a fine thing … but they are not willing to remain long, and are not willing to remain long, and they escape from a man’s mind, so they escape from a man’s mind, so that they are not worth much until that they are not worth much until one ties them down by [giving] an one ties them down by [giving] an account of the reason why.” (97e-account of the reason why.” (97e-98a)98a)

Socrates and Virtue: Socrates and Virtue: SummarySummary• When we look for an account of virtue, we When we look for an account of virtue, we

are looking for a definition that explains are looking for a definition that explains what it iswhat it is and also and also how we can knowhow we can know about it.about it.

• If we cannot know just by looking, we may If we cannot know just by looking, we may have to use have to use thoughtthought and and reasonreason to find to find out.out.

• UsingUsing reasonreason means giving an account means giving an account that that hashas reasons behind it: one that “ties reasons behind it: one that “ties down” what we believe with reasons and down” what we believe with reasons and arguments that can be articulated, arguments that can be articulated, compared, and defended. compared, and defended.