People are attached to names and appearances. Therefore for the Ise Shinto Shrine, people would still belief that the shrine IS Ise Shinto Shrine all along because its appearance remained the same. Not everyone will know about the change in material or the purification of the shrine every 20 years, therefore one wouldn't care what it is composed of. | Personal continuity is an important part of identity because this process ensures that the quality of the mind are consistent from one moment to the next. Self-awareness is also an important quality which contributes to personal continuity. A good case study of continuity: "Every 20 years, Ise Shinto Shrine in Japan is destroyed, purified, and then rebuilt with new material. It was last rebuilt in 2013." Is it one and the same shrine or is it really a series of different shrines that happen to look like each other and carry the same name? Is IDENTITY based on your body? |
Journal Questions:
What's inside? Do you mean the organs and intestines that are inside one's body? Or do you mean the soul or the mind? Anyhow, I don't think it is just 'what's inside' that counts as attributes for one's identity. Identity includes many attributes, not just a specific one.
Do we stay the same overtime? If so in what way?
I don't think we stay the same overtime because every event that we experience always change us. The neurons in our brains grow and expand as we learn new things; our bodies and hormones change. However, if there is one thing that remain the same overtime, it would probably be our DNA or genetics. By this I don't mean our blood because one may get blood transfusion and instead of being a blood type A, after the transfusion, one may become a type B, O, or AB.
Is our identity based on physical attributes?
As mentioned before, it is not only based on physical attributes; or else no one would say that Michael Jackson IS Michael Jackson after he'd dramatically changed his appearance.
For instance, I used to have very curly hair, and used to be very tan because I was in the swim team and swam every day after school. Recently I've straightened my hair. Two to three years ago I've quitted the swim team and my skin is not tan anymore. I also wear glasses and I'm taller than before. In addition to that, I've also changed my surname...
Am I still the same person? What do YOU think?