PHIL102 Quiz: Personal Identity- Reactions and Conlcusions
Document Summary
Reaction to parfit: he is misusing the philosophical method of thought experiments. An example of a philosophical thought experiment: gyges ring of invisibility: why do we act morally, say there are two men. Do we hold moral upbringing a constant: conclusion says that both men will act unjustly while invisible through lack of motivation to act justly, alleged result: humans act morally for fear of retribution and for self- interest. For a thought experiment to be conclusive in philosophy it must be clear what varies from reality. If so, the case tells us something about what it is to be a person. Philosophical thought experiments are often hard to assess partly because it"s often not so clear what to hold constant. In terms of parfit"s amoeba thought experiment: what amoeba inherits what, is there decay of the inherited identity, the case is under-described and survival" in this context can be misleading.