Personal Identity: Crash Course Philosophy #19

Today Hank is building on last week’s exploration of identity to focus on personal identity. Does it in reside in your body? Is it in the collective memories of your consciousness? There are, of course, strengths and weaknesses to both of these ideas, and that’s what we’re talking about today.

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[SaintsBro]

"We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people all through our lives. And that's okay, that's good, you gotta keep moving; so long as you remember all the people that you used to be." - The Doctor

[StayPrimal]

Hank, you are the coolest nerd in the word, I am proud to be a nerd because of people like you. Thx you so much for all the knowledge you and your team gave me.

[MishelFayad]

"Does any of this really matter?" and "This is really your problem" is the reason why I'm watching these episodes!

[claytonharting]

Perhaps a person is not one singular person, but rather a team of people that each exist one at a time. "Hank" is not one person, but the name given to the team of people called "Hank". So current Hank deserves his paycheck because past Hank put in the work and the money was promised to "Team Hank." Since current Hank is the only member of Team Hank, he's the one who receives the money.

I call it "Team Theory of Identity"

[trrblv]

Does anyone else think it would be amazing if they did a series about music theory?

[FlorenceFox]

My fairly simplistic view on identity has always been that I am my consciousness. I mean, even if I lose my memories and my body changes, I'll still be the one experiencing it all. I may not remember the person I was before, and I may look different, but my identity comes from the fact that I am the one at the driver's seat.

[MrZawaga]

"We all change. When you think about it, we're all different people all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this. Not one day. I swear. I will always remember when the Doctor was me."

- The 11th Doctor

[laserbeamchaser]

"We go to sleep everyday, but when, we wake up, our conscious selves remember who we were the day before."
This freaked me out, like what if i forget to remember ?!?!

[anastasiabrown]

Excuse me while I go have an existential crisis

[xeinbee]

i watch these videos on the topic on identity and lie in my bed staring at the ceiling for about an hour.

[ShawnRavenfire]

I genuinely think of my past and future selves as different people, mainly because my outlooks on life, religious and political views, tastes in music, nicknames, etc. have all changed so many times.  I feel like I inherited memories and responsibilities from my past selves, and I learn new skills not so much for myself, but in order to help out my future selves.  Broadly speaking, I'm now in what I consider the early stages of my seventh identity.  The only things which remain constant are my social security number, and as far as I know, my DNA and fingerprints.

[LostInEchoesFin]

I love Hank's use of 'her' for the third person, even more for the fact that he never draws attention to it

[SilverScarletSpider]

I am software, not hardware; however I can be patched, updated, and reformatted.

[PatrickAllenNL]

Trigger warning for people with indentity crisis

[adam.g]

The greatest aspect of your show, allowing us the freedom to choose our opinion on the matter, is also THE MOST frustrating. I'm trying to do my philosophy homework, and whilst I have some great facts, I have no idea what to think as you argued both sides so well. Thanks for the amazing videos!

[DylanAlex]

"We all change, when you think about it, we're all different people; all through our lives, and that's okay, that's good, you've gotta keep moving, so long as you remember all the people that you used to be. I will not forget one line of this, not one day, I swear. I will always remember when The Doctor was me."

[electricmastro]

Though his appearance and personality changed greatly over time, at his core, the Doctor still retained his curiosity which drives him to travel, his cleverness which gets him out of sticky situations, and his eccentricity which makes him interesting. In that sense, the First Doctor is just like the Twelfth Doctor.

[tristanmoller]

I like how he uses modern shows and examples to bring points around. That's great

[skyzu]

I’ve been waiting this whole series for him to cover dr. Who. I love that show and it’s Part of what got me interested in philosophy in the first place. I use ton of the amazing philosophical arguments that that show makes in my day to day life.

[Jotari]

I'm surprised they didn't include the very popular idea of a spirit or soul that remains with you unchanging over your entire life.