Are You Your Mind or Body?

What makes a person at one time the same person at a later time? Marya Schechtman walks through the core features of this question, beginning with the distinction between numerical and qualitative identity and the classic Ship of Theseus paradox. She then turns to the two leading answers: the bodily criterion, which ties identity to biological continuity, and the psychological continuity theory, which ties it to memory, personality, and mental life. Using vivid thought experiments, from Locke's prince and cobbler to Freaky Friday scenarios and evil neurosurgeon cases, Schechtman shows how philosophers have tried to pull apart biology and psychology to determine which one truly grounds personal identity. She explains why psychological continuity has become the dominant view, tracing how concerns about moral responsibility, prudence, and survival seem to follow the mind rather than the body. The lecture closes by previewing objections to the psychological view and hinting that the bodily criterion may have been dismissed too quickly.