Locke and Personal Identity

Document Type : Research Paper

Author

Associate Professor, Department of Philosophy, Isfahan University, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

In the last decade of the seventeenth century, John Locke addressed the problem of personal identity. By criticizing traditional views, Locke tried to define the notion of a person and to determine its criterion; according to him, it is a reflective or secondary consciousness that lies behind every perception. After the publication of his work, many books and articles were presented, criticizing or defending this theory; among the various criticisms, the most important is that Locke commits a contradiction and a logical circle. Defenders of Locke have tried to respond to these criticisms in various ways. In this essay, after presenting John Locke’s criterion for personal identity, we will present his arguments, the most important criticisms, and the attempts made to answer them. Then, by focusing on two main criticisms, we aim to show that even if Locke’s defenders are successful in repelling these objections, Locke still fails to defend his own position. In the end, we will offer two new criticisms and show that even if we suppose that Locke’s defenders have been successful in answering the previous problems, their answers do not suffice to address these new criticisms.

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Locke and Personal Identity

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References

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Journal of Philosophical Investigations
Volume 20, Issue 55 - Serial Number 55
Articles
Issue 55, Summer 2026
July 2026
Pages 447-464

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