Personal Identity and Its Criteria

Description: This quiz will evaluate your understanding of personal identity and its criteria. You will be presented with questions related to the nature of personal identity, the criteria used to determine personal identity, and the implications of these criteria for our understanding of the self.
Number of Questions: 16
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Tags: personal identity criteria of personal identity nature of the self
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Which philosopher is most closely associated with the bundle theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. Immanuel Kant


Correct Option: B
Explanation:

David Hume is most closely associated with the bundle theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by a bundle of mental and physical characteristics.

What is the main objection to the bundle theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of free will.


Correct Option: C
Explanation:

The main objection to the bundle theory of personal identity is that it relies on a circular definition of personal identity. The theory defines personal identity as a bundle of mental and physical characteristics, but it then uses personal identity to define the mental and physical characteristics that constitute it.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the narrative theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. Paul Ricoeur


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Paul Ricoeur is most closely associated with the narrative theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by the narrative that we tell about our lives.

What is the main objection to the narrative theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too subjective.

  2. It is too objective.

  3. It is incompatible with the idea of free will.

  4. It is too simplistic.


Correct Option: A
Explanation:

The main objection to the narrative theory of personal identity is that it is too subjective. The theory states that personal identity is constituted by the narrative that we tell about our lives, but this narrative is subject to change and revision. This means that our personal identity could also change and revise, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the psychological theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. Sydney Shoemaker


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Sydney Shoemaker is most closely associated with the psychological theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by our psychological continuity.

What is the main objection to the psychological theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of reincarnation.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the psychological theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of reincarnation. The theory states that personal identity is constituted by our psychological continuity, but if we were to reincarnate, our psychological continuity would be broken. This would mean that we would not be the same person in our next life, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the bodily theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. Derek Parfit


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Derek Parfit is most closely associated with the bodily theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by our bodily continuity.

What is the main objection to the bodily theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of teleportation.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the bodily theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of teleportation. If we were to teleport, our bodily continuity would be broken. This would mean that we would not be the same person after teleportation, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the survival theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. Bernard Williams


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

Bernard Williams is most closely associated with the survival theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by our survival after death.

What is the main objection to the survival theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of reincarnation.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the survival theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of reincarnation. The theory states that personal identity is constituted by our survival after death, but if we were to reincarnate, we would not survive after death. This would mean that we would not be the same person in our next life, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the functionalist theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. David Lewis


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

David Lewis is most closely associated with the functionalist theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is constituted by our functional continuity.

What is the main objection to the functionalist theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of brain transplantation.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the functionalist theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of brain transplantation. If we were to have our brain transplanted into another body, our functional continuity would be broken. This would mean that we would not be the same person after the brain transplantation, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the reductionist theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. U.T. Place


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

U.T. Place is most closely associated with the reductionist theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is reducible to our physical and mental states.

What is the main objection to the reductionist theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of free will.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the reductionist theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of free will. The theory states that personal identity is reducible to our physical and mental states, but these states are determined by our genes and environment. This means that we would not have free will, which seems problematic.

Which philosopher is most closely associated with the emergentist theory of personal identity?

  1. John Locke

  2. David Hume

  3. Thomas Reid

  4. C.D. Broad


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

C.D. Broad is most closely associated with the emergentist theory of personal identity, which states that personal identity is an emergent property of our physical and mental states.

What is the main objection to the emergentist theory of personal identity?

  1. It is too simplistic.

  2. It is too complex.

  3. It relies on a circular definition of personal identity.

  4. It is incompatible with the idea of physicalism.


Correct Option: D
Explanation:

The main objection to the emergentist theory of personal identity is that it is incompatible with the idea of physicalism. Physicalism is the view that everything is ultimately physical. The emergentist theory of personal identity states that personal identity is an emergent property of our physical and mental states, but this is incompatible with physicalism because it implies that there is something non-physical about personal identity.

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