Summary Of Hilde Lindemann's Holding And Letting Go

Within Holding and Letting Go, Hilde Lindemann describes four elements that constitute personhood, which is the bodily expression of what composes a personality. These elements are: (1) A human being must have enough of a mental state to constitute a personality; (2) Personality must be bodily expressed; (3) Other human beings have to recognize this bodily expression as that of an expression of personality; (4) Those who recognize must respond to that expression. These elements are heavily influenced by social normativity as well as identity.
1. Mental States
The first element Lindemann argues is essential in order for humans to be initiated into personhood is the capability of cognitive function. Someone, for example, in a vegetative state can no longer be held as a person because all cognitive function has ceased to exist. According to Lindemann, cognitive function does not have to be sophisticated or advanced: She details that her sister, Carla, could "fix her attention" and "be comforted," and that these two qualities were enough to constitute as enough mental activity. This procession of mental states also plays an integral part in identity shaping through understanding one's self through self-conception and maintaining that identity through first-person sustainment.
Bodily Expression
The second requirement is the bodily depiction of mental states. Lindemann describes this bodily expression as any expression of emotion through the body be they innate, such as facial expressions accompanied with emotion, or learned, such as the use of language. These actions showcase emotions and brings persons closer to the third and fourth elements. Through bodily expression, humans allow others to see them (recognition), and consequently, those who recognize form judgements of identity about those they see