free essay on personal identity

Personal Identity Essay

Locke Personal Identity

Locke’s theory of personal identity is important for two reasons. The first reason is that since everyone changes physically and mentally, we needed a way of making sure we were the same person over time. The second reason is to provide responsibility for our actions and the consequences that follow them. The memory theory helps with both of these rationalities. Also according to this theory we can rationalize that if one forgets certain memories and those memories are lost, then those memories are

Personal Identity : Identity And Identity

Personal identity is essential in the human experience. Identity is complex and can be broken down into two main groups: introspective identity, and bodily identity. Introspective identity is based off of the groups, mentalities, or beliefs that you align yourself with, and bodily identity is based off of the physical side of yourself. Whether physical or introspective, your identity impacts every action you take. Whether choices ranging from what colors you prefer to which college you want to attend

Personal Identity Argument

Argument for Personal Identity This essay will discuss the idea that personal identity persists over time. It will start by briefly analysing some philosophical approaches to the problem, with views from René Descartes, G.W. Leibniz, Thomas Reid, Ludwig Wittgenstein, John Perry and Derek Parfit. Also in the discussion, the concept of psychological continuity will be presented, and also its reaches and limits. I will, then, introduce the concept of unity as a consequence of personal continuity, and

Identity And Personal Identity

Identity is what makes a person who they are. It is a complex relationship between a person’s personality and their appearance. Personality can be broken down by how that person acts or feels. This aspect of identity can be impacted by mental health and disabilities. The appearance of a person can also be broken down by how a person looks and how they dress. Physical appearance can be impacted by genetics and outside influences; accidents, diseases, sickness, etc. With the combination of the two

Personal Identity And Identity

life, I lived in a small and extremely religious city in Utah called Provo. My parents first immigrated here in 1983 and have stayed here ever since to pursue financial opportunities. Growing up, I felt a lack of personal uniqueness. I found myself constantly latching on the group identity of others to better fit in. In my hometown, a solid 80% of the residents were religiously Mormon. Not only was I the only Chinese student within my entire neighborhood but I was also the only atheist as well. This

Personal Identity

An individual’s identity is molded by various aspects. Family, culture, personal interests, and outlaying environment all of them are factors tending to shape the personality of individuals. Personally, I tend to question myself whom I am and always think of what it takes to be a person. Out of these thoughts, I do get some of my personal identities. The most salient identity I get is my religion. Religion is an idea with many different interpretations, especially amongst diverse societies, and

Personal identity is something that we originate from many sources in our lives. It can be obtained from life events, experiences, or persons who bring meaning or significance to our lives. Therefore, I believe that we acquire personal identity from not only our skills, occupation, but from all aspects of our everyday lives. However, I also believe that personal identity is obtained from the things that we care most such as family, friends, career, college degree, and social work. Family, friends

loving part I knew since I was maybe 2. I have many a self-concept, the set stable ideas a person has about who he or she is (Floyd 71), some are obvious and some are not so obvious. When people meet me, they see the identities that are skin deep, they see the parts of my identity that are more objective, they’re based on fact instead of someone’s opinion (Floyd 74). I have tan skin and wavy, frizzy hair so immediately people want to speak to me in Spanish. While dissecting myself I don’t immediately

Personal Identity by Derek Parfit

In his 1971 paper “Personal Identity”, Derek Parfit posits that it is possible and indeed desirable to free important questions from presuppositions about personal identity without losing all that matters. In working out how to do so, Parfit comes to the conclusion that “the question about identity has no importance” (Parfit, 1971, p. 4.2:3). In this essay, I will attempt to show that Parfit’s thesis is a valid one, with positive implications for human behaviour. The first section of the essay will

The Issue Of Personal Identity Essay

If persons persist over time then by what criteria do we determine their identity at different times? This is the issue of personal identity over time which continues to plague philosophers. What is it that allows me to say I am the same person today as I was yesterday or I will be tomorrow? Am I actually the same person? There has been no general consensus on the answer to this question. However many have proposed solutions to this question. When it comes to this hard problem of why persons last

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Essay on Personal Identity

What defines one as a person is something many people yearn to know and understand in depth. One’s deeds define someone; we define ourselves based on only a tiny portion of our entirety. Place of residence, language, one’s religion, our height, and even what color our eyes are; these simple decisions that people make based on our circumstances is what defines a person. Defining our identity is not an easy task. In this paper, we will be able to discuss more on personal identity and how the community influences one’s identity as a person.

When we look at personal identity, many things come to mind. We all have an idea of whom we are based on other people’s opinions. As stated by (Boeker 62), being able to know what defines us should not be influenced by assessments made by people about us but should be influenced by us. Many things influence our being as a person: our ethnicity, gender, culture, religion, and many more. Hence, by being in a position to understand all this, we will be embarking on the path of individual identity.

Ethnicity defines us as people. Two people of the same race but different ethnicities can exist. An ethnic group, is a group of people that connect with one other because they share qualities that distinguish them from those of other groups. According to (Moran 172), they identify with certain customs, lineage, dialect, heritage, community, culture, nationality, faith, or societal treatment in their neighborhood, to name a few traits. Members of a particular ethnic group have similar values, principles, and standards in issues of mutual interest, and they gather together to complete basic activities with agreed-upon set targets. Persons in groupings are defined as team members by themselves and others; in other words, they are aware that they are a part of a group.

Norms make it easier to understand an individual’s expectations in a particular ethnic group. Norms inform members of the group as to what is required of them, what is permissible and what is not, and help them foresee the actions of their peers and the correct or incorrect implications of their actions. According to (Noonan 92), norms aid in the avoidance of humiliating situations. It is considered essential to follow all the guidelines of one’s ethnic group to the latter to be considered one who abides by the rules of the specific ethnic group.

Race refers to the characteristics that people and groups have in common. The race has many definitions, depending on societal, historical, and physical contexts. As stated by (Tobia 40), peoples’ view of race evolves around; racial grouping was once based on nationality or ethnicity or what people believed in. By distinction, today’s society has been divided into races primarily according to the color of their skin (Tikhonov, et al. 500). Young people, mainly those considered to be among minority groups, appreciate their ethnic and racial backgrounds. Both ethnicity and race influence how societies function

Social forces influence people’s opinions. People adjust their assessments to fit in more with what the group says if they wish to belong to a group or avoid clashing with others.  Ethnic identity  is a multifaceted notion that encompasses ego or identification, dedication or connection to a group, specific beliefs connected with the group, and a favorable or unfavorable opinion (Tikhonov, et al. 500). Being part of a particular ethnic group, for example, influences how one presents themselves in the society or even how they dress, talk and relate with other people in the society.

When one belongs to a particular group or instead identifies oneself with a specific ethnic group, this influences one’s identity as a person. Connection, survivability and safety, connection status, power and privilege, and accomplishment benefit group membership. Ethnic communities make us feel embraced and respected, but they also make us feel capable. With encouragement and respect, we have a greater sense of control over our life. Human behavior can be improved in group contexts by encouraging performance on easy tasks while suppressing performance on challenging tasks. Since personal efforts cannot be judged, the presence of others might also lead to social loafing.

A sense of belonging is a standard of the living notion that encompasses the belief that individuals matter to one another and to a group. As a result, higher levels of belonging have been linked to improved emotional-cultural functioning. According to (Strayhorn 90), when an individual feels that they belong somewhere or can identify themselves with a specific group, there is a sense of security; one also has high self-esteem and a sense of belonging. Adolescence is when ethnic identity emerges and is carried down through the generations through conventions, customs, dialect, religious practice, and social traditions. The modern press, art, and current affairs all impact our ethnic and racial identities.

When it comes to personal identity, it is evident that ethnic group affects how one presents themselves and how they relate with one another. There are so many benefits of belonging to an ethnic group, showing how identifying with an ethnic group is essential to an individual, proving that the community highly influences one’s identity.

Works Cited

Boeker, Ruth. “Moral Personhood and Personal Identity.”  Locke on Persons and Personal Identity , 2021, pp. 54-76.

Moran, Anthony. “Identity, race and ethnicity.”  Routledge Handbook of Identity Studies , 2019, pp. 169-184.

Noonan, Harold W. “Identity and personal identity.”  Personal Identity , 2019, pp. 84-105.

Strayhorn, Terrell L. “Sense of Belonging and STEM Students of Color in College.”  College Students’ Sense of Belonging , 2018, pp. 87-106.

Tikhonov, Aleksandr A., et al. “Bicultural identity harmony and American identity are associated with positive mental health in U.S. racial and ethnic minority immigrants.”  Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology , vol. 25, no. 4, 2019, pp. 494-504.

Tobia, Kevin P. “Personal Identity, Direction of Change, and Neuroethics.”  Neuroethics , vol. 9, no. 1, 2016, pp. 37-43.

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Human Freedom and Personal Identity Essay

According to Sigmund Freud, psychoanalysis is one of the basic consciousness and personal identity theories in which the difference and the inherent relationship between consciousness and unconsciousness are established.

Sigmud holds the view that there exists little if any necessity for us to characterize what is commonly regarded as conscious; for it refers to the same connotation as the consciousness of philosophers and of day to day opinion.

As such, we regard every other thought or object as unconscious so long as it only exists in our mental faculties. In this manner, we are directed to make distinct divisions in this unconscious, for some processes are naturally conscious to the extent that they may be retrieved or remembered easily.

This does yet again call our attention to the fact that consciousness is in the overall sense of the word a highly fugitive condition, which is to mean that, whatever is conscious is conscious only for a short period of time (Chaffee, 2008, p.1). Thus, one can only regard every other unconscious thing as bearing the inherent potent of entering consciousness or rather as preconscious.

In demonstrating a working knowledge of psychoanalysis theory of consciousness and personal identity it is clear that being conscious of my personal endowments, gifts and talents, in addition to the vast know how and skill in executing my business goals and objectives that nothing would hold me back from realizing my anticipated vision of diversifying my investment ventures to encompass a broad spectrum of worthy returns.

Such a move would not only boost my self esteem but it would also be my solid foundation of financial stability upon which future entrepreneurial initiatives would be based (Perera, 2010, p. 1).

Although deterministic theories of human freedom have been looked down upon based on such assertions, evaluations and analysis that they are much more inferior to in-deterministic theories, for they offer us little if any aid in comprehending our lived experiences, the fact of the matter is that we always accord epistemological precedence to these determinist theories over the testimony of our lived experiences (Chaffee, 2008, p.1).

Thus, hard determinists hold the view that virtually all events – even human actions, are caused overriding the power of free choice, however to a certain measure human action can be taken to be ‘free’ if it is born out of inherent personal inspirations rather than external influences .

In demonstrating a working knowledge of deterministic theory of human freedom it is clear that being focused and determined to harness my personal endowments, gifts and talents, the vast know how and skill in executing my business goals and objectives that no obstacle would be so complex for me to overcome and achieve my anticipated vision of diversifying my investment ventures to encompass a broad spectrum of worthy returns (Morrison, 1997, p.1).

Such a determination would not only boost my business reputation but it would also be the most appropriate ideal and maxim which would steer the course of my plight to great heights of business excellence and thus act as the cornerstone of financial security for all upcoming ventures.

Reference List

Chaffee, D. (2008). Philosopher’s Way. Retrieved from www.digitalbookshelf.southuniversity.edu/#/books/0558564852/pages/28304069

Morrison, J. (1997). What is human freedom? Retrieved from www.jasonmorrison.net/content/1997/what-is-human-freedom/

Perera, K. (2010). Personal Identity. Retrieved from www.more-selfesteem.com/personal_identity_article.htm

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Essay Samples on Personal Identity

Personal identity encompasses the fundamental question of “Who am I?” It delves into the complex layers of our individuality, examining the factors that define and distinguish us as unique beings. Exploring personal identity involves introspection and contemplation of various aspects, such as our beliefs, values, experiences, and relationships. It invites us to unravel the intricacies of our self-perception and the influences that shape our identities in personal identity essay examples.

How to Write an Essay on Personal Identity

When crafting an essay on personal identity, it is essential to begin by defining the term and setting the stage for further exploration. Establish a strong thesis statement that outlines your perspective on the topic. Consider incorporating personal anecdotes or real-life examples to illustrate your points effectively. Remember to maintain a logical flow of ideas, guiding your readers through the intricate terrain of personal identity. Conclude your essay by summarizing key findings and offering thought-provoking insights or suggestions for further exploration of the topic.

To create an engaging and comprehensive personal identity essay, delve into various philosophical, psychological, and sociocultural perspectives on personal identity. Explore influential theories, such as John Locke’s bundle theory or David Hume’s notion of the self as a bundle of perceptions. Analyze the impact of cultural and societal factors on shaping personal identities, highlighting the interplay between individual agency and external influences.

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Drawing upon reputable sources and research studies will lend credibility to your essay, allowing readers to explore different perspectives and deepen their understanding of personal identity.

Whether you are seeking free essay on personal identity or aiming to develop your own unique viewpoint, our collection of essays will serve as an invaluable resource.

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Best topics on Personal Identity

1. How Does Society Shape Our Identity

2. How Does Family Influence Your Identity

3. Exploring the Relationship Between Illness and Identity

4. Evolving Identities: The Concept of Self-Identity and Self-Perception

5. Free Cultural Identity: Understanding of One’s Identity

6. My Cultural Identity and Relationship with God

7. My Cultural Identity and Preserving Ancestors’ Traditions

8. Gregor Samsas` Burden In “The Metamorphosis” By F. Kafka

9. Reflections On Personal Intercultural Experience

10. Literature of African Diaspora as a Postcolonial Discourse

11. The Ideology of Giving People Status or Reward

12. Features And Things That Shape Your Identity

13. Identity Crisis: What Shapes Your Identity

14. My Passion And Searching What You Are Passionate About

15. The Importance Of Inner Beauty Over Outer Beauty

• Euthyphro Dilemma
• John Stuart Mill
• Ethics in Everyday Life
• Immanuel Kant
• Self Reflection
• Enlightenment
• Good and Evil

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My Personal Identity

A person’s identity is shaped by many different aspects. Family, culture, friends, personal interests and surrounding environments are all factors that tend to help shape a person’s identity. Some factors may have more of an influence than others and some may not have any influence at all. As a person grows up in a family, they are influenced by many aspects of their life. Family and culture may influence a person’s sense of responsibilities, ethics and morals, tastes in music, humor and sports, and many other aspects of life. Friends and surrounding environments may influence a person’s taste in clothing, music, speech, and social activities. Personal interests are what truly set individuals apart. An individual is not a puppet on the string of their puppet-master, nor a chess piece on their master’s game board, individuals choose their own paths in life. They accomplish, or strive to accomplish, goals that they have set for themselves throughout their lifetime. Individuals are different from any other individual in the world because they live their own life rather than following a crowd of puppets. A person’s identity is defined by what shaped it in the first place, why they chose to be who they are, and what makes them different from everybody else in the world. I feel that I have developed most of my identity from my own dreams, fantasies, friends, and idols. I am who I am partly because of my family, but mostly because of who I want myself to be. I will never be exactly what I want to be because of my family upbringing, but I can provide myself with opportunities to live a somewhat similar life. I would have loved to be brought up in a family that was into off-road racing, such as trucks, snowmobiles, an... ... middle of paper ... ...far, education has had no real impact on the person that I am, but hopefully by the time I finish college, it will. I am very proud of the person that I have become. I have followed my own dreams, fantasies, friends, and idols to become the person that I am today. My family has influenced me as far as morals and values, my friends have influenced me in social activities, speech, and clothing, and my fantasies and idols have given me something to strive for in my life. Once a person takes the time to truly get to know me, they tend to see me as one of the greatest guys that they have ever met. I will continue to live my life for individual that I am while taking into other people and not doing anything that may negatively affect another person’s life. I am currently very happy with the person that I am and will continue keep myself happy until the day I die.

In this essay, the author

• Explains that a person's identity is shaped by many different aspects, such as family, culture, friends, personal interests, and surrounding environments.
• Opines that society has had a limited impact on their lifestyle, mostly because they despise rap and hip-hop and the clothing, attitudes, and speech that that ‘music’ is breeding.
• Opines that educational experiences influence a person's identity, but they never succumbed to it. they are currently studying construction management and hope to decide it is the right path.
• Opines that they are very proud of the person they have become and will continue to live their life for individuality while taking into other people's lives.

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Merton's Identity

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Personal Identity: Who Are You?

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“Perhaps it’s impossible to wear an identity without becoming what you pretend to be” (Card). This quote from Ender’s Game gives the reader the impression that identity is just something they can wear and that they will become the identity that the impersonate. A definition of identity from the Oxford English Dictionary states, “The fact of being who or what a person or thing is” (Identity). This old definition entails that a person’s identity is just who they are. It is also heard that people say anybody can be anything they want to be. These two ideas put together create a definition of identity that means a person’s identity can be whatever they choose it to be. However, a person's true identity cannot simply be worn as a mask, so this definition cannot be true and must be changed. A person's true

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The expression of a sentient being is manifested by their thoughts, interactions, and beliefs. A person does not have just one distinctive method of how they portray themselves. Human beings are made up of thousands of atoms that when combined in a unique way, will make up one’s original existence. Although this may seem obvious, many people do not think about who they really are. Subconsciously, everyone has an idea of who they are and who they want to be. On the other hand, consciously, many people have low levels of self awareness. A person’s identity can be difficult to determine and frequently many will search extensively for their true self. In the age of millennials, identity is not a singular entity, it is a multi faceted prism.

More about My Personal Identity

Home — Essay Samples — Sociology — Personal Identity — What Personal Identity Means To Me

What Personal Identity Means to Me

• Categories: Personal Identity

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Published: Feb 9, 2022

Words: 606 | Page: 1 | 4 min read

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