Who Are You Through Time? Locke on Personal Identity
Explore John Locke's revolutionary theory of personal identity. Discover how consciousness, not the soul, defines who we are — and why this matters for law, psychology, and our understanding of ourselves.
Steps
- 1
- Reading· ~11 min
The Memory Theory and Its Critics
Why Locke's memory theory is brilliant but faces deep objections, from Reid's Brave Officer to the Ship of Theseus of the self.
Complete the previous step first
- Reading· ~9 min
Beyond Locke: Narrative Identity and the Buddhist No-Self
Two powerful alternatives to Locke, and what they reveal about why the question of personal identity matters.
Complete the previous step first
- Text Explore· ~8 min
Locke's Prince and the Cobbler
Examine Locke's original thought experiment and its direct implications.
Complete the previous step first
- Argument Map· ~10 min
The Persistence of Persons
Map the debate from Locke's memory theory through its critics to contemporary alternatives.
Complete the previous step first
- Dialogue· ~10 min
Dialogue: Are You the Same Person You Were at Five?
Probe what personal identity requires, and what it would mean to get the answer wrong.
Complete the previous step first
- Reflection· ~8 min
Reflection: The Story You Tell About Yourself
Reflect on the personal identity you actually inhabit, and what it would mean to hold it more lightly.
Complete the previous step first
Complete the Reflection step in this path to rate it and share your thoughts in the comments.