Examine the concept of personal identity by Locke.

Locke’s Concept of Personal Identity

Locke’s theory of personal identity is fundamentally rooted in empiricism. He argues against the idea that identity resides in an immaterial soul, a concept he finds unverifiable. Instead, he posits that personal identity is based on what he calls ‘consciousness’ – the perception of one’s own thoughts, feelings, and actions.

The Role of Consciousness and Memory

For Locke, consciousness is not merely awareness in the present moment, but also includes memory of past experiences. He asserts that a person is the same person over time because they can remember having those past experiences. This memory provides a continuous link between the past and present self. He illustrates this with the example of a man who remembers being a schoolboy – that memory, according to Locke, establishes his identity as the same person who was once a schoolboy.

Distinction from Cartesian Dualism

Locke’s view sharply contrasts with René Descartes’s substance dualism, which posits a distinct, unchanging soul as the basis of personal identity. Descartes believed the soul was independent of the body and its experiences. Locke, however, rejects this notion, arguing that the soul, even if it exists, is not what constitutes personal identity. It is the continuity of consciousness, not the existence of a soul, that matters.

The Problem of Gaps in Memory

One of the major criticisms of Locke’s theory concerns gaps in memory. What happens when a person cannot remember a significant portion of their past? Locke addresses this by suggesting that consciousness extends beyond direct memory to include a sense of self and connection to past actions, even if those actions aren’t vividly recalled. He argues that responsibility and moral accountability depend on this broader sense of continuity.

The Prince and the Cobbler Thought Experiment

Locke uses the famous thought experiment of the prince and the cobbler to illustrate his point. If the prince’s consciousness were transferred into the cobbler’s body, and vice versa, Locke argues that the person who now inhabits the prince’s body would be the prince, and the person in the cobbler’s body would be the cobbler, regardless of the change in physical form. This demonstrates that identity follows consciousness, not substance.

Implications for Moral Responsibility

Locke’s theory has significant implications for moral responsibility. If personal identity is based on consciousness, then individuals are accountable for their past actions only to the extent that they can remember and recognize themselves as the agents of those actions. This raises complex questions about the nature of punishment and justice.