Problems with Identity

Problems with Identity

1. Persistence; identity over time

   • All objects change over time
     • Things can change but remain identical
   • Brownson before he became Brownson
     • Was he Brown or Robinson etc?
   • L.L rules out identity over time - Old General
     • There is sense that we want to use L.L however to apply it when we need to know:
       • Brownson could speak French before
       • Brown couldn't
         • This would be discernible hence not identical
     • So our understanding of what it is for some one to have had a property in the past
       • is not seperable from our understanding of what it is for that person to be identical with someone in the past
         • General understanding of solving I is mistaken
         • There would always be presupposition of identity
           • We need to understand F identity

2. Are A and B both persons?

   • Can answer
   • How should we answer?

3. Are A and B identical?

   • Can't answer

4. Indiscerniblity of Identicals

   • Not enough for identity as it is problematic
     • Brownson can speak French; Brown could not
       • Brownson is not Brown
       • BUT: properties at one time are different to properties at an earlier time
         • Doesn't imply discernibility
           • Hence: can't settle problem