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    If 'Adam' rigidly designates this individual, then a coun... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→A person who experienced different events would not be the same individual (Adam) but a numerically distinct person (another Adam).

    If 'Adam' rigidly designates this individual, then a counterfactual Adam who suffered different events is still numerically identical Adam, not a distinct person.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.Rigid designators pick out the same individual across all possible worlds by definition, regardless of that individual's properties.
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    • 2.Personal identity is determined by underlying continuity (spatiotemporal, biological, or psychological), not by contingent life events.
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    • 3.If Adam's identity could change based on different events, 'Adam' would not rigidly designate but rather designate different individuals in different worlds.
      ?

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    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Rigid designation concerns reference semantics, not metaphysical constitution. A term can rigidly pick out an entity whose essential nature is indeterminate.
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    • 2.Counterfactual identity may depend on criteria beyond modal rigidity—e.g., whether sufficient psychological or biological continuity persists across scenarios.
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    • 3.The claim conflates linguistic behavior (how 'Adam' functions as a name) with metaphysical facts about which conditions determine identity in counterfactuals.
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    Connections

    2 topics

    Modality & Possibility1 linkedPersonal Identity1 linked

    Related

    A person who experienced different events would not be the same individual (Adam...Counterfactual identity may depend on criteria beyond modal rigidity—e.g., wheth...If Adam's identity could change based on different events, 'Adam' would not rigi...Personal identity is determined by underlying continuity (spatiotemporal, biolog...
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    Rigid designation concerns reference semantics, not metaphysical constitution. A...Rigid designators pick out the same individual across all possible worlds by def...The claim conflates linguistic behavior (how 'Adam' functions as a name) with me...

    Details

    Type
    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
    Edits
    1 edit