PHIL30900 Personal Identity

Academic Year 2022/2023

What makes you the same person as you were five years ago? Philosophers have lively debated this question concerning personal identity for centuries. In this module we want to discuss different accounts of personal identity that philosophers developed in the history of philosophy. For example, John Locke published an innovative account of persons and personal identity in 1694 that continues to influence present-day debates in metaphysics, philosophy of mind, and ethics. Locke suggests that we should distinguish the concept of a person from our ordinary notion of a human being. Assume Ms X is in a coma and unable to remember past experiences. In this case Locke proposes, Ms X continues to be the same human beings as Ms X was at an earlier time, but is not any longer the same person and it would not be just to hold Ms X responsible for past crimes. However, not all of Locke’s contemporaries were willing to accept his views about personal identity. For instance, Locke’s Irish friend and correspondence William Molyneux worries that Locke’s view has problematic consequences, because it entails that someone who committed a crime while drunk may not be responsible for it. What do you think?
In this module we will examine how the debates about personal identity developed in seventeenth and eighteenth-century philosophy. We will discuss selected texts by John Locke and several of his early critics and defenders such as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Edmund Law, Catharine Trotter Cockburn, Joseph Butler, Thomas Reid, David Hume, and others.

Note: The philosophers whose texts we read collaborated with many thinkers. Just like these philosophers collaborated with others, you will also work collaboratively in teams throughout the trimester. Individual grades will be influenced (and nearly always improved!) by team performance on team-based assignments.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

Students who successfully complete this module should be able to:
• REFLECT critically upon debates about personal identity in the history of philosophy and the philosophical problems that continue to influence present-day debates in philosophy;
• IDENTIFY key philosophical concepts and show awareness of potential problems that led to the revision and refinement of these concepts in the historical debates;
• INTERPRET philosophical texts that were written in the 17th and 18th centuries;
• WRITE well-structured and well-argued essays that explain and critically assess philosophical views covered in this module;
• ARTICULATE their own responses to philosophical views, support them by reasons and defend them in light of criticism;
• COLLABORATE effectively and respectfully with other team members, listen to and learn from others and make well considered team decisions.

Indicative Module Content:

In this module we will examine how the debates about personal identity developed in seventeenth and eighteenth-century philosophy. We will discuss selected texts by John Locke and several of his early critics and defenders such as Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Edmund Law, Catharine Trotter Cockburn, Joseph Butler, Thomas Reid, David Hume, and others.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

24
Tutorial

7
Autonomous Student Learning

94
Total

125
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This module will give students the opportunity to actively engage with the module content during lectures and tutorials. We will regularly use class time for in-class learning activities that will allow students to acquire a deeper understanding of the readings and the core concepts and will provide opportunities to reflect critically upon the views we discuss. Some activities will be completed in teams. Lectures, tutorials, and learning activities will prepare students to write well-structured and well argued essays that explain and critically assess philosophical views covered in this module. Students will be given detailed guidance on essay writings and can improve their writing in light of feedback.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Assignment: Short written assignment Unspecified n/a Graded No

10
Continuous Assessment: Short quizzes and other learning activities that focus on understanding of content and developing philosophical skills with the aim of preparing students for longer assignments. Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

25
Essay: Mid-term essay Unspecified n/a Graded No

30
Essay: Final essay Coursework (End of Trimester) n/a Graded No

35

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Summer No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Peer review activities

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students will receive detailed feedback on the written assignments communicated to each student, with feedback on the short written assignment and mid-term essay received well before the final essay is due. Additionally, students will have opportunities to practice philosophical writings skills and students can receive peer feedback on short written assignment and improve it in light of peer feedback prior to formal submission. Checklists for self-assessing essays prior to submission will also be made available to students.

Name Role
Danqi Wang Tutor