Department of Philosophy

Identity Investigations

Project summary

The concept of identity has a paradoxical role in contemporary metaphysical discussion. On the one hand, it is thought of as central to some of the most perplexing and important current debates.

On the other hand, it is recognised as one of the simplest of all concepts. What I want to do is to answer the question: are there any genuine problems about identity? We shall explore the arguments on both sides and consider how questions about identity should be rephrased in line with a negative answer. 

Who's involved:

Harold Noonan

Arii Matamoe painting shows a mans severed head on a pillow displayed before mourners. The room has decorative wallpaper and a rug.
 

Publications

2018. Criteria of Identity, Personal Identity and the Simple View in T. Tambassi ed. Studies in the Ontology of E.J. Lowe. Editiones Scholasticae.

2017. Relative Identity. In: C. Wright, B. Hale and A. Miller, eds., A Companion to the Philosophy of Language 2nd. Wiley-Blackwell.

2015. Pluralism, Plenitude and neo-Lockean Persons. Journal of Consciousness Studies 22(11/12), 108-131

2013. Moderate Monism, Sortal Concepts and Relative Identity. The Monist 96(1):101-130

2013. In defence of the sensible theory of indeterminacy. Metaphysica 14:239-52

2012. Personal Pronoun Revisionism – Asking the Right Question. Analysis 72(1):1-3.

2012. The Problem of Personal Identity and Its Perplexities. In: G. Gasser and S. Matthias, eds., Personal Identity: Complex or Simple? Cambridge University Press.

2011. The complex and simple views of personal identity. Analysis 71(1): 72-77.

2010. A flaw in Sider's vagueness argument for unrestricted mereological compositionAnalysis 70(4): 669-672.

2010. The thinking animal problem and personal pronoun revisionism. Analysis 70(1):93-98.

2009. What is a one-level criterion of identity? Analysis 69(2): 274-276*

2009. Perdurance, location and classical mereology Analysis 69(3): 448-452

2008. Does ontic indeterminacy in boundaries entail ontic indeterminacy in identity? Analysis 68(3):174-176

Department of Philosophy

University of Nottingham
University Park
Nottingham, NG7 2RD

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