At least in Western traditions of thought, the notions of “personhood” and “personal identity” have long raised question about the kind of body that is required for the ontological states they designate. Since the early centuries of Christianity, debates about this matter have taken place at the crossroads of philosophy, theology, the natural sciences, and the sciences of body and mind. What kind of body and which parts of body do we need to be a person, and in particular the persons we are? Widespread answers since the late-20th-century are, “A brain” and “Our brain.” This lecture will argue that they represent only a moment (but of course an important one) in a very long history of discussions about personhood. It will also suggest that the notion of “person” may help to articulate a range of disciplines, such as philosophy, history, anthropology and biomedical ethics, and facilitate transcultural comparison.
陶曉萱
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