[ExI] agency-based personal identity

[Thomas]

Mike Dougherty wrote:
>

>> On 6/26/07, Thomas <thomas at thomasoliver.net> wrote:
>>
>> > What makes a vague
>> > abstract entity more extensible and coherent than a concrete  
>> expression of
>> > will as the source of personal identity?
>>
>
> What makes an abstract [anything] more extensible ... than a concrete
> [anything] ?
>
> I think the answer is: the definition(s) of 'abstract,' 'concrete' and
> 'extensible'
>
> Sorry to be so blunt as I jump into a conversation threaded with such
> "social niceties" as a meta-discourse on "social niceties"  :)

Quite alright.  I had that coming.  I think I was feeling seasick on  
waves of floating abstraction.  But in the context of personal  
identity I think we need to limit the primary entity to a single  
observer locus and require agency at conceptual capacity (self aware  
rationality -- able to discriminate viewpoints and integrate them).   
We speak here of the "more coherent" abstract source of personal  
identity.   I take this to mean consistent with (not just anything,  
but with) the reality of personal identity.  I can't say that "will  
as essence" satisfies the constraints I've proposed, especially if it  
admits arbitrary irrationality.  I think of will as agency.  So,  
thanks, Mike for provoking me into doing my own thinking.  -- Thomas


Thomas at ThomasOliver.net

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