This is my view: Your body ages and regenerates. You are a living ship of theseus, you are a different person at different stages of life. Yet, you retain the memory of your past life.
The ship of theseus is an entirely different ship, but it retains the memory of a self.
People with Alzheimer’s usually are totally different people.
Are they, though? They certainly aren’t treated as such socially. We don’t start calling them by different names, they remain married to the same partners, they don’t lose ownership of all their stuff, they’re still considered the same person for tax and government benefit purposes…
That’s just everyone around them not letting go (not saying we should). In the context of memories making us who we are, they’re totally different people.
This is my view: Your body ages and regenerates. You are a living ship of theseus, you are a different person at different stages of life. Yet, you retain the memory of your past life.
The ship of theseus is an entirely different ship, but it retains the memory of a self.
So if a brain injury causes you to lose your memories, you are an entirely different person?
People with Alzheimer’s usually are totally different people. Though they do tend to retain some long-term memories or skills.
Are they, though? They certainly aren’t treated as such socially. We don’t start calling them by different names, they remain married to the same partners, they don’t lose ownership of all their stuff, they’re still considered the same person for tax and government benefit purposes…
That’s just everyone around them not letting go (not saying we should). In the context of memories making us who we are, they’re totally different people.