Question

On September 13, 1848, a railroad worker named Phineas Gage suffereda tragic accident in which a 3 foot metal rod entered Gage's skull, damaging the frontal lobe of his brain. Miraculously, Gage survived.Though he survived, Gage's personality dramatically changed. In contrast to his disposition pre-accident, the post-accident Gage became irritable, angry, and unfit for company - so much that his friends and acquaintances said he was "no longer Gage".According to a doctor's report:"Gage was fitful, irreverent, indulging at times in the grossest profanity (which was not previously his custom), manifesting but little deference for his fellows, impatient of restraint or advice when it conflicts with his desires, at times pertinaciously obstinate, yet capricious and vacillating, devising many plans of future operations, which are no sooner arranged than they are abandoned in turn for others appearing more feasible. A child in his intellectual capacity and manifestations, he has the animal passions of a strong man. Previous to his injury, although untrained in the schools, he possessed a well-balanced mind, and was looked upon by those who knew him as a shrewd, smart businessman, very energetic and persistent in executing all his plans of operation. In this regard his mind was radically changed, so decidedly that his friends and acquaintances said he was 'no longer Gage'."Discuss whether Gage post-accident the same person in the numerical sense (see Rachels reading for contrast between "qualitative" and "numerical" identity) as Gage pre-accident?

Answer 1

Answer:

No

Explanation:

Phineas Gage's numerical identity pre accident and post accident are different. Numerical identity is identity that is one and the same. In other words, it is the identity of one person because it requires absolute qualitative identity, not just a few shared attributes as opposed to qualitative identity. However, this is not the case with Phineas Gage as his numerical identity before the accident wasn't the same with his numerical identity after the accident. He changed and became erratic and gross, uncalculated, impatient, a contrasting difference from his pre accident personality.

Note: Qualitative identity is identity that compares or notes one identity that has something in common with another identity.