-
Essay / Comparison of Hume and Locke on personal identity
This change does not change a person's identity. Hume's “bundle theory” defines personal identity as perceptions. The views are very similar and I don't think it matters which view we accept. Hume's theory of personal identity is akin to a more recent version of Locke's theory. Hume considers the self to be a fiction while Locke believes that if there is no continuum of memory, the person is not the same person. The only thing that would be at stake is whether you believe what you think about yourself is fiction or not and whether you are the same person or not. I think for many, the idea of thinking of ourselves as fictional would be a very disappointing thought. Personal identity is much more than just a continuum of memory. I agree with Locke that you need a continuum of memory to be the same person and that is necessary for you to exist, but that is not all that defines personal identity. However, I don't think a person is not the same if they don't remember certain events. I agree with Hume that memory reveals personal identity. Personal identity is made up of bundles of