A first interpretation of this assertion might be that our concept of mental events is basically self-referential, i. e. the person having a certain experience is identical with the person contained in this experience
But Derek Parfit (the philosopher) rejects the reliability of the perception of mental events as one’s own
experiences, as being a false assumption, creating for this purpose a concept of psychological quasi-experiences and quasi-memory.
As psychological life consists in a large variety of experiences - the unity of this person’s must be
selective.
According to Parfit’s view, subjects in fact only exist because we create them by ascribing experiences to something having these experiences, but they are necessary, neither for describing persons nor for explaining their lives’ unity.
If we adopt this mode of thinking we may achieve a “Liberation from the Self” meaning that since there is no self , the anxiety
about one’s own future diminishes.
But what about the essential me, the quintessence of moi-meme?
I hear you ask.
For Parfit the natural use of personal pronouns just seems to serve simplification of every-day language.
No comments:
Post a Comment