Basic Memory Theory With Person Chain Identification

In this paper, I will explain the Basic Memory Theory and Memory Theory with Person Chain Modification, and determine which one most successfully explains the problem of personal identity. Simply stated, the personal identity problem is: how do we know that person1 (P1) at time1 (T1) is the same as person2 (P2) at time2 (T2)? To answer that question, we need to understand the components of personal identity (according to memory theory), person stages and numerical and quantitative identity. A person stage is a stretch of consciousness, such as how anyone is aware of their consciousness right now. People, as a whole, are composed of person stages as parts, for example: when we go to sleep, we lose consciousness, and when we wake up we assume

Similarly, when someone refers to the same thing quantitative, they are talking about two things that look exactly the same. For example, if the person in the previous example when back to the store they could say, “these hats are the same as my hat.” However, even though we cannot prove whether or not we are numerically or quantitatively identical to our past or future stages, we can assume that we are numerically

This is because of the question, “is P1 at T1 the same person as P2 at T2,” is a numerical question. It isn’t asking if we look exactly the same as our other stages, it is asking if we are exactly the same. Therefore, the Basic Memory Theory and the Person-Chain Memory Theory will be dealing with numerical identity. Basic Memory Theory states that P1 at T1 is the same as P2 at T2 if and only if P2 remembers a mental state that P1 had at T1; which is the same as saying; we are the same person if we remember our experiences of the past. Although, we sometimes forget things, which would mean we are not the same person. However, Person-Chain Memory Theory rescues us with the modification: Pn at Tn is the same as P1 at T1 if and only if there is a chain such that each stage in the chain contains a least one memory of something experienced by the preceding person stage. Unfortunately, there are many problems with this including; implanted memories and amnesia. It seems as if, the more conditions people put on Memory Theory, the more problems we need to solve, putting on more conditions and beginning new problems. I think the best solution to this is to adopt Basic Memory Theory and instead of treating it as a rigid definition, use it as a guideline to understanding