1. Philosophy Jan. 20th Objective Opener
Explore the Memory Theory through discussion video, and notes.
Think of 3 distinct memories
The earliest
Elementary age
Recent (within the last year)
Are you the same person now as when these memories occurred?

2. Section 4.2 Golden Memories
Self as Psyche
© 2013 McGraw-Hill Companies. All Rights Reserved.
McGraw-Hill

3. Memory Theory
Identical persons are those who share at least one experience memory.
Consequences:
Persons can switch bodies as long as they retain their memories.
Two persons can inhabit the same body as long as they have different memories.

4. Thought Probe: Sleepwalking and Murder
Locke suggests that Socrates waking and sleeping could be two separate persons if they shared no memories.
Courts have found persons not guilty of what their bodies did while sleepwalking.
Does this support Locke’s view? Are courts justified in using sleepwalking as an excuse?
clip

5. Thought Probe: Memory Damping
The prospect of erasing memories was explored in the movie The Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.
There are drugs like propranolol that actually have that effect.
Would the widespread use of such drugs be unethical? Why or why not?
If you could erase a memory would you? Would this change who you are fundamentally as a person?

6. The Inconsistency Objection
Most people forget a good deal of what has happened to them.
If you lose all memory of some part of your life, does that mean that you are no longer identical to the person who was in your body at that time?
Locke would seem to think so.

7. The Transitivity of Identity
If A is identical to B, and if B is identical to C, then A is identical to C.
For example, if Mark Twain is identical to Samuel Clemens and Samuel Clemens is identical to the author of Huckleberry Finn, then Mark Twain is identical to the author of Huckleberry Finn.

8. The Inconsistency Objection
Locke’s theory is inconsistent because it violates the transitivity of identity.
A=B
B=C
Does A=C ?

9. Direct Memory vs. Indirect Memories
A direct memory is a memory that a person can consciously recall.
An indirect memory is a memory that an earlier stage of a person can recall.

10. Thought Probe: Were You Ever a Fetus?
According to Locke, your identity extends only as far back as your memories.
It seems to follow, then that you were never a fetus. You came into existence from a fetus, but you yourself never were a fetus.
Is this consequence of Locke’s theory plausible?

11. Real Memories vs. Apparent Memories
A real memory is a memory of an event that was experienced by the person remembering it and was caused by the event it records.
An apparent memory is a memory of an event that either didn’t happen or wasn’t caused by the event it records.

12. The Circularity Objection
Only real memories can serve as the basis of personal identity.
But real memories can’t be used to explain personal identity because the explanation would be circular.
Real memories are defined in terms of personal identity so they can’t be used to define personal identity.

13. Quasi-Memories
Someone quasi-remembers an experience if and only if they have an apparent memory that was caused in the right way by an actual experience.
To quasi remember something, you don’t have to be identical to the person who had the experience.
“From my quasi-memory of doing x, I cannot infer that I did x, but I can infer that somebody did x. It is then a further question as to whether the person who did x is me, the answer to which will depend upon what we believe personal identity to consist of.”
A Defense of Quasi-Memory by Rebecca Roache

14. Quasi-Memories and Personal Identity
Quasi-memories are not defined in terms of personal identity.
Thus they can be used to provide a non-circular definition of personal identity.

15. Thought Probe: Soul Catcher
Scientists at British Telecom are reportedly working on a silicon chip that can record human thoughts.
Do you believe that such a chip could be developed?
If it were developed, should it be made available to the general public?
“The Entire History of You” Black Mirror
black-mirror-patent-could-let-us-record-and-replay-our- memories_n_ html

16. Thought Experiment Skits
In 8 groups of 3-4 review and research your 2 Thought Experiments.
Then, write and be prepared to perform 2 skits illustrating the main ideas.
Show the thought experiment accurately
Include How it relates to at least one specific concept or theory and what it questions about identity
We will have in class work day on 1/31
Due date 2/10 We will be watching them in class and have a Café day!
Example

17. Section 4.1
Section
The Vegetable Case
Benjamin’s Questionable Cure
Locke’s Tale of the Prince and the Cobbler
The Transplant Case
Unger’s Great Pain
The King of China
Nestor and Thersites
Kant’s Soul Switch
Reid’s Tale of the Brave Officer and Senile General
William’s Reincarnation of Guy Fawkes
William’s Reduplication Argument
Parfit’s Transporter Tale
Bodily Torture
Shoemaker’s Brain Transplant
Parfit’s Division
Parfit’s Reformed Nobelist