The memory view is the view that an individuals personal identity is made up of, and is constituted by their personal memories. These memories are made up of what we can call “genuine memories” and “apparent memories”. The genuine memories are memories that appear to be true, provided the individual did actually experience the memory, or in other words, did in-fact happen to the person and so can be attributed to that individuals identity. The apparent memories, are memories that while according to the individual happened to them, may not have. It also states that a person is defined and made up of a sequence of person-stages linked by memory, as long as those memories are genuine and not apparent (or false memories). Personal identity of an
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That is, someone could make the argument that a different body means a different person, but then if you were of the same mental and conscious state with the same memories, but of a different body, would you be a different person? According to the memory view, no you would not be. This shows us that identity of the individual, is not tied into their physical body, according to the memory view.
The memory view also shows to a person as an individual, just how important their own individual identity is. It explores why the personal identity of someone is important as it distinguishes them from other individuals. Using the memory view as an example, it also shows an individual that their physiological individuality is more important than their physical individuality. This leads us to a contradiction however.
There is no real way of determining what is a genuine memory and what is an apparent memory. We can call this “circular”, as it is self-defeating. If genuine memories must have actually happened to the person, and apparent memories, are merely memories the person thinks happened to themselves, it becomes impossible to distinguish between the two for that person, or anyone else. This is what makes it a circular argument. We can no longer tell what is a true, genuine memory, and what is merely fictitious, made-up or simply improperly …show more content…
The memory view states that genuine memory is an apparent memory that did in-fact occur for that individual. This genuine memory is then attributed to that individuals personal identity. This of course, leads us to our contradiction. What is an apparent memory, and what is a genuine memory. Because it becomes impossible for the individual or anyone, to distinguish between, whose memories are theirs, what is true and what is not, we are left with our problem. A response to this is that genuine memory must cause the memory in the right way. Meaning that, for someone’s memory to be considered a genuine memory, the memory must be caused by the original
That is, someone could make the argument that a different body means a different person, but then if you were of the same mental and conscious state with the same memories, but of a different body, would you be a different person? According to the memory view, no you would not be. This shows us that identity of the individual, is not tied into their physical body, according to the memory view.
The memory view also shows to a person as an individual, just how important their own individual identity is. It explores why the personal identity of someone is important as it distinguishes them from other individuals. Using the memory view as an example, it also shows an individual that their physiological individuality is more important than their physical individuality. This leads us to a contradiction however.
There is no real way of determining what is a genuine memory and what is an apparent memory. We can call this “circular”, as it is self-defeating. If genuine memories must have actually happened to the person, and apparent memories, are merely memories the person thinks happened to themselves, it becomes impossible to distinguish between the two for that person, or anyone else. This is what makes it a circular argument. We can no longer tell what is a true, genuine memory, and what is merely fictitious, made-up or simply improperly …show more content…
The memory view states that genuine memory is an apparent memory that did in-fact occur for that individual. This genuine memory is then attributed to that individuals personal identity. This of course, leads us to our contradiction. What is an apparent memory, and what is a genuine memory. Because it becomes impossible for the individual or anyone, to distinguish between, whose memories are theirs, what is true and what is not, we are left with our problem. A response to this is that genuine memory must cause the memory in the right way. Meaning that, for someone’s memory to be considered a genuine memory, the memory must be caused by the original