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Arguments for the Bundle Theory

 

             Derek Parfit argues for the Bundle Theory, which states that we cannot explain the unit of consciousness through people, but rather as a series of mental states and events. Each one of these series constitutes a life, denying the existence of a person to be existing separately from one's body. Pafit argues that we cannot explain our survival through time by referring to a "person", because no "person" (subject of our experiences) actually exists. There are just bundles of mental states (experiences) tied together by the causal relation of memory, that is, experiencing and remembering previous experiences. We call these bundles our "lives". Since Claire Robertson suffered from complete amnesia, one may say that she has lost her sense of "self" and is no longer the same person. However, the Sensecam is able to give Claire this sense of "self" back by triggering her episodic memory. The minute details Claire may see through the Sensecam photos often trigger her memories from previous experiences. .
             The Sensecam is allowing Claire to have psychological continuity, which gives her a personal identity. Daniel Dennett, noting that any notion of the 'enduring' self depends on memory, which is also a creative process, refines the Bundle Theory by analogy with the physical center of gravity of an object. He calls the self 'a centre of narrative gravity'. Dennett states that our center knows without deliberate or conscious planning how to unify all of the narrative that streams forth as if from a single source. In other words, the self is the product of the narrative. Dennett states.
             that our fundamental tactic of self definition is telling stories, however, we do not consciously and deliberately figure out what narratives to tell and how to tell them. Dennett relates our narratives to spider webs, stating that our tales are spun but we don't spin them; they spin us.


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