Personal Identity
Gretchen’s objection is based on the definition of a person identity given by Sam Miller. Actually, it is very difficult to interpret and understand the definition. Gretchen seems not to do understand the sense in the definition of person identity. This objection is therefore supported by certain facts that tend to disapprove person identity as being in line with soul sameness. Though to some extend it would have brought some sense or meaning to Gretchen, he thinks that the linkage between person identity and soul sameness has been miss presented.
According to Gretchen, soul sameness is far different from person identity. This is because he does believe that person identity deals in or is a display of one’s true self and this therefore involves virtues or characters of oneself (Perry, 11). Actually, according to him, person identity is something within a person’s own conscience and no one can fully tell the real meaning of person identity unless very keen observations have been made. The I is actually an immaterial substance whose essence is thought (Perry 21).
The support that Gretchen has for his objection is that the definition does not dig person identity to deepest understanding. Person identity may have two possible definitions of which one is literal while the other drives a true meaning. Person identity may be in terms of character similarity and not soul sameness (Perry14). This is because no one can predict the kind of soul an individual has. One may actually be good in terms of characters and comparable to a given fellow but different in soul. According to Aristotle, personal identity is a special form of genetic identity.
Person identity from Gretchen’s argument, may have as many meanings or definitions as possible. Though there are various definitions no one can actually come to the right definition of personal identity as people tend to view it with a different perspective. Generally, the definition given by Miller tends not to be in line with what Gretchen thinks of and therefore the real definition comes up depending on one’s view point.
Work cited
. Perry, John. A Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality. Hackett. 1978. ISBN-10: 0915144530.
