Brain in a Vat Who was Derek Parfit? | David Edmonds
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Aug 13, 2023 Explore the life and philosophy of influential philosopher Derek Parfit, with a focus on his rejection of an unchanging essence or soul and his emphasis on psychological continuity. Delve into thought experiments challenging personal identity and the connection to survival after death. Examine Parfit's views on the non-identity problem and the moral saintliness of his dedication to philosophical issues. Hear about the process of writing a comprehensive book on Parfit, including intriguing anecdotes and interviews with over 200 people.
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Author's Personal Connection
- David Edmonds studied under Derek Parfit as a BPhil co-supervisee and later knew Parfit's wife, Janet Radcliffe Richards.
- Edmonds claims to be the only person taught by both Parfit and Janet, a small personal link to Parfit's life.
Parfit's Big Philosophical Shift
- Derek Parfit's Reasons and Persons reshaped personal identity and population ethics with novel thought experiments and paradoxes.
- His work pushed philosophers to treat psychological continuity and future populations as central moral concerns.
Teleportation and Survival
- Parfit's tele-transporter thought experiment argues psychological continuity, not bodily continuity, secures survival.
- He claims what matters is continuity of memories, dispositions, and psychological features, not original biological persistence.