Ray Kurzweil’s Idea Of Personal Identity

Ray Kurzweil develops the idea that one’s personal identity is not something static but, on the contrary, it is something changing and it is changing constantly and physically. In this regard, Kurzweil cannot give the definite answer on such questions as ‘Who am I?” or “What am I?” because he views people and their personal identities as being driven by biological factors. To put it more precisely, one can never be the same because every individual comprises a set of molecules which change in the course of days and weeks, while other matters, like water in the river, are changing even at a faster rate.  As a result, one can never be the same. In such a situation, Kurzwiel views a person as a constantly changing matter. Implicitly, he means that people are supposed to change their personal identity as they change in the course of time at the biological level. He even suggests the possibility of creating a copy of an individual, which may develop independently of the original person because the same biological processes are relevant to all individuals. Such assumptions imply that the personal identity of individuals cannot be stable and biological processes are the major drivers of such changes. Kurzweil places emphasis on the changeability of the matter, which comprises the physical body of individuals. This is why he concludes that the personal identity is also vulnerable to such changes because people are not the same as they used to be several weeks or years ago. This concept is grounded on the predominantly biological view on humans and their personal identity based on a set of constantly changing molecules, which, according to Kurtzweil comprise not only human body but also comprise or, at least, affect their personal identity.

However, such a view on humans and, especially, on their personal identity is quite controversial if not to say absolutely incorrect. First of all, Kurtzweil views humans from the biological perspective solely. In fact, he views humans as a sheer matter consisting of a set of molecules and this set of molecules eventually shapes personal identity. However, such a view on humans and their personal identity is apparently superficial. In fact, even though molecules are changing and the set of molecules comprises the matter, which humans consist of, the development and change of molecules is not chaotic. For example, the change of molecules will never turn a human into a cat. Therefore, there are certain biological laws behind the mechanism of molecule changes and the physiological development of humans. Moreover, Kurtzweil associates the biological, physiological process of molecule changes with the concept of personal identity, but the latter is a sheer psychological concept, which is apparently irrelevant to biological ones. Obviously, the personal identity is closely intertwined with physiological development of humans but, unlike human body the personal identity does not change physically. Instead, the personal identity changes not only under the impact of physiological but also social, psychological, and other factors, which Kurtzweil virtually denies or neglects, when he views humans as a sheer set of molecules. For example, if one grows older he/she acquires new social experience, which is irrelevant to physiological changes which occur to his/her body, but that experience influences consistently his/her personal identity. In fact, biological factors are not the only factors and definitely not the major ones that change personal identity, while Kurtzweil neglects this fact. This is why his argument is inconsistent and his view on humans as biological beings consisting of molecules which shape their personal identity is apparently wrong in its essence.

 

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
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[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
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