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Product Description
This is the first of six books in the Open University A222 ''Exploring Philosophy'' course. It is somewhat shorter than the other books, in order to allow you to get used to the demands of studying the subject, possibly for the first time, and to give you longer to get to grips with the texts from seventeenth- and eighteenth-century philosophers which form part of this month’s work.
By the end of this book you should have a good overview of the key writers on the topic of personal identity. You should also have had practice reading original philosophical texts and have thought critically about some of the ideas expressed. In addition, the topic of thought experiments and their importance in philosophy crops up in several places. You will start by reading the work of the seventeenth-century philosopher John Locke. His ideas about personal identity are the starting point for most modern discussions of the topic. We then move on to a classic extract from the writings of David Hume, in which he questions whether introspection gives us any evidence for an enduring self. The final chapter concentrates on the contemporary philosopher Derek Parfit’s controversial views about the self. The relevant readings can be found in the set book, John Cottingham’s Western Philosophy, and at the back of this book.
You’ll be guided through these in the main text. Don’t be disheartened if you find some of the reading difficult at first. It is probably a good sign, as anyone who finds it really easy is probably missing something. There is also a glossary at the back of the book, which explains some key terms. These terms are emboldened at their first (or at least an early) use in the text. The audio recordings that accompany this book are an essential and integral part of the teaching. They include interviews with a range of eminent philosophers. At various points you will be directed towards them. Ideally, you should listen to the audio recordings at the point suggested in this text, but you may want to listen to them all quite early on as well to get an overview of where you are going. If it is impractical for you to listen at the points recommended in the text, you may want to print out transcripts (which are available on the Exploring philosophy website) to allow you to study the material in the appropriate order. You can then consolidate this by listening to the recordings later. Preface v The Self It is important to keep in mind that studying philosophy should not be a passive experience.
You will be encouraged to do exercises, discuss ideas, write, listen actively and think for yourself. Avoid the temptation simply to absorb what you read without really engaging with it. Philosophy is not a spectator sport. In order to study it, you have to do what the great philosophers of the past did: think critically about some of the most profound topics that we can ask ourselves. I hope you enjoy studying this book. Philosophy can be a demanding subject, particularly when you first begin studying it, but it is also extremely rewarding
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