Theories Of Personal Identity

At varies times in history, many questions raised by philosophers regarding personal identity like who am I? and can I survive after dearth? Personal Identity is the essence of what makes a person unique and different from others, but do I remain the same or change as a person overtime? The body theory of personal identity proposes that a person at one time is the same person at a later time only if they have the very same living material body, so a person is the physical body itself. The human body and brain are compositions of complex biological systems performing specific functions necessary for growth and development. Consciousness is the major role of the brain: mental processes occur in the body made of microscopic physical processes
Physical or mental disability does not affect personal identity; for instance, Marine lance corporal John Smith had lost a leg in war overseas; and according to his family, John is not the same person anymore. Surely, John’s family does not factually mean that John is not the same person because John still has his same physical and breathing body. Then, if we consider the possibility of survival after death, John would only survive after death if he still had his physical body. Suppose if John’s brain cut out and placed in Dahlia’s body; and suppose that Dahlia’s brain cut out and placed in John’s body, then the person with John’s brain and Dahlia’s body wakes up and displays John’s behavior, memories, feelings and way of thinking. So, it is the brain that is important and not the body. In this case, a complex medical procedure that has not been scientifically approved yet because it lacks the technology to attach the brain’s veins, nerves, spinal cord back to major parts in a different body. Let’s say that survival is guaranteed, it is possible that the person is not related to the two individuals involved, or the person might have other health problems in certain areas like emotions and memories involved in the