The philosophical thought experiment was famously brought about in philosophy and culture by Hobbes as he embedded the significant question to bear in mind when exploring this concept ‘if it is a new ship when all the parts are replaced, then at what point does it become a new ship?’. Thomas Hobbes was an English philosopher who dwelled on the topic of who we really are and our originality as human beings. As the whole ship had decayed and had been replaced with identical pieces, philosophers argued that even though the ship is honoured as the ship of Theseus, it is not the fundamental ship that was placed into the harbour. Over time the ship started to decay and parts of the ships were gradually replaced. A great mythical hero known as Theseus had come back from slaying a mythical beast and the ship he had sailed in was kept in the harbour as a memorial and tribute. The ship of Theseus is known as a highly controversial topic as the story has puzzled many people. The Greek historian Plutarch originated the ‘ship of Theseus’ theory and philosophers have adopted the story and brought it up to relate it with the concept of our true selves and our ever-changing mind, soul and body.
By analysing the underlying message in Thomas Hobbes and John Locke’s theories on self, we are able to reflect on who we really are and how we know everything we know. Thomas Hobbes and John Locke have notably controversial theories on the concept of self. The pivotal question “who am I?” seems so simple at first, although once you start to discover the different ways to interpret who you really are it can completely disorientate your sense of reality and can influence your individuality. The abstract concept of mind, body and soul have perplexed philosophers and people for generations.
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