John Locke †Mind Essay

Hume and Lockes conflicting views on the existence of individualized identity still hunt from a fundamental disagreement in regard to retrospection. According to Hume we work an impermanent individualized identity as a take of our continuously changing stream of perceptions. These mental experiences atomic number 18 usually triggered by impressions, or perceptions that involve a sense experience. These constantly changing streams of perception excogitate the false identity.On the other hand John Locke proposes this concept thatsays X has identity if the ideas of X cause an observer to brace of x are the same at several(predicate) times. The best(p) capable observer is X them egotism, as they are there for every moment. For Locke all that is needed for personal identity is mental identity. Both these ideas of personal identity are intertwined with each(prenominal) respected philosophers views on memory. According to Hume, memory is unreliable. He believes vomit upivism tricks us into forming memories. This is true because Hume also says we cant remember everything, only we project as if we do.The reason he imposes this is because he believes it causes us to assume we are the same in our memories as we are now. Hume says our memories are triggered by ideas, or perceptions caused by thinking ab off an impression, instead of actually experiencing it. These memories at best resemble one another, which means we confuse similar but different impressions of ourselves for an impression of a single unchanging egotism-importance. Moreover, Hume says we do not have the same ideas as we do now and do in the chivalric. As a result memory gives us falseidentity with what it remembers. With this, the temper of the human self is derived from these mental experiences. Although Hume maintains that personal identity is falsely untrue by humans, the ideas that arise from our memories are what forms ones identity. The end result of personal identity is that indiv iduals have a false sense of identity, but that this false sense of identity is what gives them their individuality. This whole process is reliant upon memory hence memory is crucial in the development of the false self and individuality.Contrary to Hume, Locke believes memory is reliable. He insists that we are able to genuinely regress the same memories. Similarly to Hume, Locke agrees we dont remember everything. Although he shares this belief, he feels what we do remember is overflowing. He continues this assertion as he points out we dont remember everything accurately but we remember enough accurately. In doing this, we are able to accurately recall past ideas and compare them with present ones. This is how he reaches his point that memory is reliable.Sinceour memories are reliable, our ideas in the past and the present can genuinely be the same. For Locke, the nature of the human self is formed through this process of linking old memories to new memories to create similari ties. the like Hume, individuality is obtained when this process is complete and with it comes awareness of ones self through time. While Hume and Locke have very differentiating opinions on the conception of personal identity relative to memory, they both agree that the end result allow be a unique individual.