Philosophy

Choose 2 exam questions from section 2 of the questions list for the exam. Please (you must!) include the question text in your discussion post! Each Question must be 200 words. Section 2 - Personal Identity: 1. If two persons could inhabit the same body, would this show that animalism is false? Why or why not? 2. A Different Person Thought Probe (pg 247 in 5th edition) from the intro to chapter 4. Read the story (and thought probe) and answer these questions: Is she a numerically different person? Why or why not? How about quantitatively? Why or why not? Is she different enough to get a reduced sentence? Why or why not? 3. If your DNA were fused with that of a cat so that eventually you had the body of a cat (and your mind was left intact), would this show that animalism is true? Why or why not? 4. Explain why the possibility of a soul switch suggests that the soul theory is false. 5. Explain John Hick's point about souls and how heredity and environment seem to account for all of an individual's character traits. 6. Are souls needed to explain anything (about ourselves or our identities)? If so, what? 7. If your memories were erased but your soul remained intact, would you still be the same person? Why or why not? 8. Were You Ever a Fetus Thought Probe. Read and answer these questions: Is this consequence of Locke's theory plausible? Why or why not? 9. What is the inconsistency objection? (what is it an objection against?) What is a response to it? Do you find the response to be adequate? Why or why not? 10. Should we try to reform criminals by erasing their memories? Should we reform criminals by changing their characters? Is one method preferable to the other? Why? 11. Is resurrection a more plausible view of the afterlife than reincarnation? Why or Why not? 12. What implications does the realization that responsibility is closely tied to character have for our judicial system? Would our judicial system be more just if we put more emphasis on character than on identity? 13. What is the circularity objection? (what is it an objection against?) What is a response to it? Do you find the response to be adequate? Why or why not?

14. How does William's thought experiment about Guy Fawkes undermine the psychological continuity theory? 15. What does Parfit's transporter tale show about personal identity?