| FrC 14I Spring 2014 |
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Your assignment for Monday’s class is to read the selections from Descartes and Locke and think about them, coming prepared to discuss each of the four topics listed below. You will spend part of the time in class discussing these in small groups.
Descartes describes two tests for distinguishing people from machines that imitated people and a corresponding two methods for distinguishing people from animals (which he regarded as machines). Think about his rationales for each of these tests and why someone might have doubts about them.
Locke asks what it is to be the same thing of a certain kind, for .
1 What is Descartes’ first test (for distinguishing people from machines or animals)? What’s one argument in its favor? What’s one argument against it?
2 What is Descartes’ second test (for distinguishing people from machines or animals)? What’s one argument in its favor? What’s one argument against it?
3 What is Locke’s criterion for the identity of humans (i.e., what is required for people at different times to count as the same man)? What’s one argument in favor of this criterion? What’s one argument against it?
4 What is Locke’s criterion for the identity of persons (i.e., what is required for people at different times to count as the same person or same self)? What’s one argument in favor of this criterion? What’s one argument against it?