self-continuity

It questions the continuity of self over time and through physical change, such as cell replacement and memory retention.

1 chapter across 1 book

The Mind's I: Fantasies and Reflections on Self and Soul (1981)Douglas R. Hofstadter and Daniel C. Dennett

Full Text

This chapter introduces the central philosophical questions about the nature of self, consciousness, and the soul through a thought experiment involving a Teleclone Mark IV teleporter. It explores the paradox of personal identity by questioning whether the person who steps into the teleporter and the one who emerges are the same individual, raising doubts about continuity of self despite physical and temporal changes. The chapter sets the stage for a broader inquiry into mind, selfhood, and the metaphysical puzzles surrounding what it means to be 'I.'