This essay serves as an analysis and critique of the ideas propounded by Judith Thomson in her seminal 1970 essay "People and their Bodies".
The essay begins with an overview of the central arguments and philosophical methods Thomson employs and proceed to explain several weaknesses both in the philosophical approach and the logical structure of her argumentation.
Table of Contents
1. Evaluation and Objections to Judith Thomson in “People and their Bodies”
Objectives and Topics
This essay evaluates Judith Thomson’s critique of the psychological criterion for personal identity. It aims to analyze her assessment of Pure, Impure, and Hybrid conceptions of personhood, identifying potential weaknesses in her reasoning and proposing alternative considerations for proponents of a psychological view.
- Analysis of the psychological criterion for personal identity.
- Critique of Pure, Impure, and Hybrid conceptions of personhood.
- Evaluation of thought experiments involving brain transplants and information transfer.
- Examination of ontological implications regarding numerical versus qualitative identity.
- Discussion of emergentist approaches to mind and brain relations.
Excerpt from the Book
Evaluation and Objections to Judith Thomson in “People and their Bodies”
In her essay, “People and their Bodies,” Judith Thomson writes an evaluation of several formulations of the psychological criterion for personality, explaining her criticisms of each. The fundamental problem Thomson identifies that she believes makes the psychological criterion weaker than a physical criterion is that she does not believe the psychological criterion offers a clear ontological thesis of personhood, and that this omission leads to several problems in clarifying the psychological view of personal identity as well as puzzlingly counterintuitive implications. In this essay, I will explain Thomson’s central criticisms against what she refers to as Pure, Impure, and Hybrid conceptions of psychological criteria for personal identity and proceed to consider possible objections to her position that a proponent of a psychological view might respond with. These objections will primarily be focused on how Thomson chooses to characterize psychological criteria and her hastiness in drawing conclusions with dramatic implications for the view.
Thomson begins her analysis of the psychological approach to personal identity by means of several similar thought experiments in which a man, Brown, has his psychology or brain somehow implanted in the body of a different man, Robinson, under different conditions. By entertaining the thought of Brown’s brain being transplanted into Robinson’s body, Thomson is able to consider two alternatives - one where the brain retains the psychological properties of Brown and thus, the Robinson-body displays the psychological characteristics of Brown; and one where the brain from Brown’s body is altered by drugs such that it resembles the Robinson’s body original brain.
Summary of Chapters
1. Evaluation and Objections to Judith Thomson in “People and their Bodies”: This chapter outlines Thomson's critique of psychological criteria for personal identity, categorizing them into Pure, Impure, and Hybrid views, while providing counter-arguments based on numerical identity and the limitations of her thought experiments.
Keywords
Personal identity, Judith Thomson, psychological criterion, personhood, ontological status, Pure conception, Impure conception, Hybrid view, thought experiments, brain transplant, numerical identity, qualitative identity, consciousness, emergentism, metaphysics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this paper?
The paper examines Judith Thomson’s critical evaluation of the psychological criterion for personal identity, focusing on how she defines and challenges various conceptions of personhood.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
The central themes include the ontological basis of personal identity, the validity of thought experiments regarding brain transplantation, and the distinction between Pure and Impure psychological criteria.
What is the main objective of the author?
The main objective is to provide a critical response to Thomson’s essay, highlighting potential flaws in her arguments and suggesting how a proponent of the psychological view could defend their position.
What scientific or philosophical methods are employed?
The author uses conceptual analysis and philosophical critique, specifically employing logical deconstruction of thought experiments to test the consistency of Thomson’s claims.
What specific concepts are covered in the main body?
The body covers the Pure, Impure, and Hybrid conceptions of personal identity, the problem of numerically identical consciousness versus information transfer, and alternative metaphysical interpretations of the mind-brain relation.
Which keywords characterize this research?
Key terms include Personal Identity, Judith Thomson, Psychological Criterion, Personhood, Ontological Status, and Numerical Identity.
How does the author challenge Thomson’s view on information transfer?
The author argues that simply transferring information (e.g., from one brain to another) may result in a qualitatively identical person but not necessarily the same numerically identical conscious experiencer.
What alternative does the author suggest for the Hybridist view?
The author proposes an emergentist approach where the mind is seen as emergent from a numerically identical physical brain, which helps avoid the paradoxes of multiple, psychologically continuous bodies.
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- Seth Carter (Autor:in), 2017, "People and their Bodies". Evaluation and Objections to Judith Thomson, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/375565
