Naked Science Forum
General Discussion & Feedback => Just Chat! => Topic started by: miniguy on 13/08/2018 00:38:18
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Im not the same person in the evening as I was in the morning. Im tired now, so more irritable, more snappy, probably less likable, less compassionate and empathetic.
After lunhc when im fully awake and have a fully belly I am probably more likable.
So which ones defines me, or do all my moods throughout the day define me. I think that's harder to define. Would you put on my gravestone: Joe Was a lovely Guy after lunch but horrible in the evening'?
If you went on a dating site and listed all your negative traits and bad habits as well as your good traits would people still be interested in you? Our bad traits and habits are just as much us as our good traits are.
I guess the question really is is 'Who Am I?'
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Im not the same person in the evening as I was in the morning. Im tired now, so more irritable, more snappy, probably less likable, less compassionate and empathetic.
After lunhc when im fully awake and have a fully belly I am probably more likable.
So which ones defines me, or do all my moods throughout the day define me. I think that's harder to define. Would you put on my gravestone: Joe Was a lovely Guy after lunch but horrible in the evening'?
If you went on a dating site and listed all your negative traits and bad habits as well as your good traits would people still be interested in you? Our bad traits and habits are just as much us as our good traits are.
I guess the question really is is 'Who Am I?'
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Two separate questions.
Who am I? asks the name that other people use to distinguish one collection of limbs and organs from another. The answer should be adequately unique (allowing for the John Smith factor - you may need an additional feature like Big John or Ginger John) and invariant.
What am I like? asks how that individual is perceived to behave. The answer can be as variable as the level of detail you want, e.g. "slimy, evil, perverted, and kind to animals when sober".
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Im not the same person in the evening as I was in the morning. Im tired now, so more irritable, more snappy, probably less likable, less compassionate and empathetic.
I you start right off the bat with different assumptions/axioms then you'll arrive at different conclusions. I strongly disagree with your assumption. Tiredness, snappiness, likeability, compassion and empathy are intrinsic to a person and thus define a person - not on its value but on its range of values under different circumstances.
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Im not the same person in the evening as I was in the morning. Im tired now, so more irritable, more snappy, probably less likable, less compassionate and empathetic.
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I guess the question really is is 'Who Am I?'
I agree with @PmbPhy
If you have any degree of intelligence you will respond differently in different situations to different people.
So your boss may see you as a hard working, sober, but fairly mediocre employee.
Your friends, based on nights out, may see you as drinking too much but a real laugh because of the antics you get up to when drunk.
Your mother may see you as highly intelligent, hard working but undervalued by your employer.
You will have a different image of yourself.
Which of these are you?
The truth is you are all of these and not one alone. Just as iron has different properties eg ductility, density, colour, specific heat etc, but it is not just a single one of these properties but is defined by all of it’s properties.
The difference between iron and people is that their properties are not so easily measured with accuracy, but are formed by judgements and those judgements will depend on how you are viewed in particular circumstances - and of course those judgements can be questioned. Also as @PmbPhy says, the range and intensity of your ‘properties’ will vary depending on situations and circumstsnces.
The problem comes when you believe that your own view of yourself is the real you.
PS I might suggest that on a dating site you be reasonably honest eg I’m a happy, cheeful, fun evening person, but somewhat crabby until I’ve had time to wake up and have breakfast.
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A person is defined by your registered name, your name is the person. Your birth certificate is that person. You are not a person , you are people .