Personal Identity: Unity of Mind and Sameness Over Time

Unlike many philosophical debates, the discussion about personal identity is not paralleled outside the domain of philosophy. In everyday life, there would be no disagreement about the sameness of identity over time. Children can understand that they were once babies, would-be criminals weigh the consequences of their actions, young adults put money away for retirement, and students pore over textbooks instead of going out to party. All of these typical behaviours and understandings take fo...