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Identity (philosophy)
 
 
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"Same" redirects here. For the ancient Greek island see Same (ancient Greece)
Same (Ancient Greece)

Same is an Ancient Greek name of an island in the Ionian Sea, near Homer's Ithaca and Cephalonia. In Homer's Iliad, book II, Same is part of Odysseus's kingdom....
.


In philosophy
Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, justice, validity, mind, and language....
, identity (also called sameness) is whatever makes an entity definable and recognizable, in terms of possessing a set of qualities or characteristics that distinguish it from entities of a different type. Or, in layman
Layman

The term "layman" originated from the use of the term laity, but over the centuries, changed definition to mean a person who is a non-expert in a given field of knowledge....
's terms, identity is whatever makes something the same or different. This includes operational definition
Operational definition

Operational definition is a demonstration of a process — such as a variable, terminology, or object — relative in terms of the specific process or set of Formal verification used to determine its presence and quantity....
 that either yields a yes or no value for whether a thing is present in a field of observation, or that distinguishes the thing from its background, allowing one to determine what is and what is not included in it.






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"Same" redirects here. For the ancient Greek island see Same (ancient Greece)
Same (Ancient Greece)

Same is an Ancient Greek name of an island in the Ionian Sea, near Homer's Ithaca and Cephalonia. In Homer's Iliad, book II, Same is part of Odysseus's kingdom....
.


In philosophy
Philosophy

Philosophy is the study of general problems concerning matters such as existence, knowledge, truth, beauty, justice, validity, mind, and language....
, identity (also called sameness) is whatever makes an entity definable and recognizable, in terms of possessing a set of qualities or characteristics that distinguish it from entities of a different type. Or, in layman
Layman

The term "layman" originated from the use of the term laity, but over the centuries, changed definition to mean a person who is a non-expert in a given field of knowledge....
's terms, identity is whatever makes something the same or different. This includes operational definition
Operational definition

Operational definition is a demonstration of a process — such as a variable, terminology, or object — relative in terms of the specific process or set of Formal verification used to determine its presence and quantity....
 that either yields a yes or no value for whether a thing is present in a field of observation, or that distinguishes the thing from its background, allowing one to determine what is and what is not included in it. Also see pattern recognition
Pattern recognition

Pattern recognition is a sub-topic of machine learning. It is "the act of taking in raw data and taking an action based on the Category of the data"....
.

Logic of identity

In logic
Logic

Logic is the study of the principles of valid demonstration and inference. Logic is a branch of philosophy, a part of the classical Trivium . The word derives from Greek language ?????? , fem....
, the identity relation is normally defined as the relation
Binary relation

In mathematics, a binary relation is an arbitrary association of elements within a set or with elements of another set.An example is the "divides" relation between the set of prime numbers P and the set of integers Z, in which every prime p is associated with every integer z that is a divisibility of p, and no othe...
 that holds only between a thing and itself. That is, identity is the two-place predicate
Predicate (logic)

Sometimes it is inconvenient or impossible to describe a set by listing all of its elements. Another useful way to define a set is by specifying a property that the elements of the set have in common....
, "=", such that for all x and y, "x = y" is true
True

True is the adjective form of the word truth.True may also refer to:...
 if
If

If is a conjunction meaning "in the event that" or "in the case of".If is a Most common words in English used in the Protasis of a conditional sentence and the antecedent of a proposition....
 x is the same thing as y. Identity is transitive
Transitive relation

In mathematics, a binary relation R over a Set X is transitive if whenever an element a is related to an element b, and b is in turn related to an element c, then a is also related to c....
, symmetric
Symmetric relation

In mathematics, a binary relation R over a Set X is symmetric if it holds for all a and b in X that if a is related to b then b is related to a....
, and reflexive
Reflexive relation

In set theory, a binary relation can have, among other properties, reflexivity or irreflexivity.At least in this context, relation always means a subset of X ? X....
. It is an axiom
Axiom

In traditional logic, an axiom or postulate is a proposition that is not proved or demonstrated but considered to be either self-evidence, or subject to necessary decision....
 of most normal modal logic
Modal logic

A modal logic is any system of mathematical logic#Formal logic that attempts to deal with notions of possibility and necessity. Traditionally, there are three "modes" or "moods" or "modalities" of the Copula to be, namely, Logical possibility, probability, and Necessary_and_sufficient_conditions#Necessary_conditions....
s that for all x, if x = x then necessarily x = x. (These definitions are of course inapplicable in some areas of quantified logic, such as fuzzy logic
Fuzzy logic

Fuzzy logic is a form of multi-valued logic derived from fuzzy set theory to deal with reasoning that is approximate rather than precise. In binary sets with binary logic, in contrast to fuzzy logic named also crisp logic, the variables may have a Membership function of only 0 or 1....
 and fuzzy set theory, and with respect to vague objects.)

Metaphysics of identity

Metaphysicians, and sometimes philosophers of language and mind, ask other questions:
  • What does it mean for an object to be the same as itself?
  • If x and y are identical (are the same thing), must they always be identical? Are they necessarily identical?
  • What does it mean for an object to be the same, if it change
    Change

    selfref|For Wikipedia uses, see...
    s over time? (Is applet the same as applet+1?)
  • If an object's parts are entirely replaced over time, as in the Ship of Theseus
    Ship of Theseus

    The Ship of Theseus paradox, also known as Theseus's paradox, is a paradox that raises the question of whether an object which has had all its component parts replaced remains fundamentally Identity ....
     example, in what way is it the same?
A traditional view is that of Gottfried Leibniz
Gottfried Leibniz

Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz was a Germany polymath who wrote primarily in Latin and French language.He occupies an equally grand place in both the history of philosophy and the history of mathematics....
, who held that x is the same as y if and only if every predicate
Predicate (logic)

Sometimes it is inconvenient or impossible to describe a set by listing all of its elements. Another useful way to define a set is by specifying a property that the elements of the set have in common....
 true of x is true of y as well.

Leibniz's ideas have taken root in the philosophy of mathematics
Philosophy of mathematics

The philosophy of mathematics is the branch of philosophy that studies the philosophical assumptions, foundations, and implications of mathematics....
, where they have influenced the development of the predicate calculus as Leibniz's law. Mathematicians sometimes distinguish identity from equality
Equality (mathematics)

Equality is the paradigmatic example of the more general concept of equivalence relations on a set: those binary relations which are reflexive relation, symmetric relation, and transitive relation....
. More mundanely, an identity in mathematics
Mathematics

Mathematics is the study of quantity, structure, space, change, and related topics of pattern and form. Mathematicians seek out patterns whether found in numbers, space, natural science, computers, imaginary abstractions, or elsewhere....
 may be an equation
Equation

An equation is a mathematics Proposition, in table of mathematical symbols, that two things are exactly the same . Equations are written with an equal sign, as in...
 that holds true for all values of a variable
Variable

A variable is a symbol that stands for a value that may vary; the term usually occurs in opposition to constant, which is a symbol for a non-varying value, i.e....
. Hegel argued that things are inherently self-contradictory and that the notion of something being self-identical only made sense if it were not also not-identical or different from itself and did not also imply the latter. In Hegel's words, "Identity is the identity of identity and non-identity." More recent metaphysicians have discussed trans-world identity -- the notion that there can be the same object in different possible worlds. An alternative to trans-world identity is the counterpart relation in Counterpart theory
Counterpart theory

Counterpart theory is a theoretical framework used in metaphysics to understand the sameness of identical entities in different worlds, or of an entity at different times in the same world....
. It is a similarity relation that rejects trans-world individuals and instead defends an objects counterpart - the most similar object.

Qualitative versus numerical identity

Arbitrary objects a and b can be said to be qualitatively identical if a and b are duplicates, that is, if a and b are exactly similar in all respects, that is, if a and b have all qualitative properties
Qualitative properties

Qualitative properties are properties that are observed and can generally not be measured. They are contrasted to quantitative properties which can be measured....
 in common. Examples of this might be two wine glasses made in the same wine glass factory on the same production line (at least, for a relaxed standard of exact similarity), or a carbon atom in one's left hand and a carbon atom in one's right shoulder (perhaps true even for the most strict standard of exact similarity).

Alternatively, a and b can be said to be numerically identical if a and b are one and the same thing, that is, if a is b, that is, if there is only one thing variously called "a" and "b". For example, Clark Kent
Clark Kent

Clark Joseph Kent is a fictional character created by Joe Shuster and Jerry Siegel. He serves as the civilian and secret identity of the superhero Superman....
 is numerically identical with Superman
Superman

Superman is a Character , a comic book superhero widely considered to be an American cultural icon. Created by American writer Jerry Siegel and Canadian-born artist Joe Shuster in 1932 while both were living in Cleveland, Ohio, Ohio, and sold to DC Comics in 1938, the character first appeared in Action Comics Action Comics 1 and subseque...
 in the sense that there is only one person (who happens to wear different clothes at different times). This relationship is expressed in mathematics with the "=" symbol, e.g., a = b, or Clark Kent = Superman.

See also

People: Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling
Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling

Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling , later von Schelling, was a Germany philosopher. Standard histories of philosophy make him the midpoint in the development of German Idealism, situating him between Johann Gottlieb Fichte, his mentor prior to 1800, and Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, his former university roommate and erstwhile friend....
, Baruch Spinoza
Baruch Spinoza

Baruch or Benedict de Spinoza was a Netherlands Philosophy of Iberian Jews origin. Revealing considerable scientific aptitude, the breadth and importance of Spinoza's work was not fully realized until years after his death....
, Karl Christian Friedrich Krause
Karl Christian Friedrich Krause

Karl Christian Friedrich Krause , was a Germany philosopher, born at Eisenberg, Thuringia.Educated at first at Eisenberg, he proceeded to the nearby university of Jena, where he studied philosophy under Professor Friedrich W....
 General: Being
Being

In ontology being is anything that can be said to be, either Transcendence or Immanence.The nature of being varies by philosophy, given different interpretations in the frameworks of Parmenides, Leucippus, Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus, Descartes, Spinoza, Leibniz, Hegel, Heidegger, and Sartre....
 positive philosophy, The Golden Rule
Ethic of reciprocity

The ethic of reciprocity is an ethical code that states one has a right to just treatment, and a responsibility to ensure justice for others. Reciprocity is arguably the most essential basis for the modern concept of human rights, though it has its critics....
, Personal identity
Identity (social science)

Identity is an umbrella term used throughout the social sciences to describe an individual's comprehension of him or herself as a discrete, separate entity....
, Shunyata
Shunyata

Sunyata, ??????? , Su??ata , stong pa nyid , K?ng/Ku, ? , Gong-seong, ?? , qo?usun meaning "Emptiness" or "Voidness", is a characteristic of phenomena arising from the fact that the impermanent nature of form means that nothing possesses essential, enduring identity ....
, Pseudonymity
Pseudonymity

Pseudonymity is a word derived from pseudonym, meaning 'false name', and anonymity, meaning unknown or undeclared source, describing a state of mistaken disguised identity....
, ontological difference Identity:Recognition of human individuals
Recognition of human individuals

Recognition of human individuals involves physical recognition, such as visual, auditory, or behavior recognition....
, Cultural identity
Cultural identity

Cultural identity is the Identity of a group or culture, or of an individual as far as he or she is influenced by her belonging to a group or culture....
, Digital identity
Digital identity

Digital identity refers to the aspect of digital technology that is concerned with the mediation of people's experience of their own identity and the identity of other people and things....
, Ethnic identity, Social identity
Social identity

Social identity is a theory formed by Henri Tajfel and John Turner to understand the psychological basis of intergroup discrimination. It is composed of four elements:...
, absolute identity, Reputation
Reputation

Reputation is the opinion of the public toward a person, a Group , or an organization. It is an important factor in many fields, such as education, business, online communities or social status....
, Online identity
Online identity

An online identity, internet identity, or internet persona is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites....
, Identity theft
Identity theft

Identity theft is a crime used to refer to fraud that involves someone pretending to be someone else in order to steal money or get other benefits....
, Counterpart theory
Counterpart theory

Counterpart theory is a theoretical framework used in metaphysics to understand the sameness of identical entities in different worlds, or of an entity at different times in the same world....


External articles and references


Books and publications

  • Andrew Bowie, . Routledge. Page 55-90. ISBN 0415103460
  • James, W., & Perry, R. B. (2006). . New York: Longmans, Green, and co. Page 134, 197, 202. ()
  • MacVannel, J. A. (1967). . New York: AMS Press.
  • Hegel, G. W. F., & Sterrett, J. M. (1893). ; translated selections from his "Rechtsphilosophie,". Boston: Ginn and Co.
  • Baldwin, J. M. (1913). ; a sketch and an interpretation. A history of the sciences. New York and London: G.P. Putnam's Sons.
  • Dessoir, M. (1912). . New York: The Macmillan company.
  • Shaw, C. G. (1908). . London: S. Sonnenschein.
  • Alexander, A. B. D. (1907). . Glasgow: J. Maclehose and Sons.
  • MacVannel, J. A. (1905). . New York: Teachers college, Columbia University.
  • Schade, A., & Rocholl, R. (1899). . Cleveland, O.: A. Schade. Page 140 - 142.
  • Külpe, O. (1897). : a handbook for students of psychology, logic, ethics, æsthetics and general philosophy. London: S. Sonnenschein.
  • Courtney, W. L. (1895). . London: Chapman and Hall.
  • Manning, Jacob Merrill (1872). . Oxford University.
  • Paksoy, H.B. (2001) Florence: European University/Carrie.


General Information

  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: , First published Wed Dec 15, 2004; substantive revision Sun Oct 1, 2006.
  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: . First published Fri 18 March 2005.
  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: . First published Tue Aug 20, 2002; substantive revision Tue Feb 20, 2007.
  • Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy: . First published Mon 22 April 2002.
  • . youtube.com.