Rowman & Littlefield Publishers / Rowman & Littlefield International
Pages: 144
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Trim: 6¼ x 9⅜
978-1-78348-579-6 • Hardback • November 2017 • $117.00 • (£90.00)
978-1-78348-580-2 • Paperback • November 2017 • $40.00 • (£30.00)
978-1-78348-581-9 • eBook • November 2017 • $38.00 • (£30.00)
Maren Behrensen is a post-doctoral researcher at the Institute for Christian Social Ethics at the University of Münster, Germany.
1. The Metaphysics of Identity / 2. Narrativity and Normativity / 3. Identity and Modern Statecraft / 4. Identity, Security and Trust / 5. Conclusion / Bibliography / Index
This short yet wide-ranging book is a rewarding read; philosophers interested in current debates on the notions of personhood and personal identity and in the practical--that is, social, legal, and political--ramifications of these notions will find this book compelling and thought-provoking. The style is engaging and the abundance of real-life examples makes the discussion interesting. . . . it is an original, timely, and engaging contribution to the debate on personhood and personal identity. I am confident that it can be usefully used in undergraduate and early graduate courses; I hope also that it may be read by a broader public and successfully demonstrate that philosophy as a discipline and a practice is indeed relevant to our lives.
— Hypatia: A Journal of Feminist Philosophy
Traditional philosophical treatments of the self usually make sense of the self in one of two mutually exclusive ways: either the self is regarded as a metaphysical entity or it is understood by way of its practical implications. Behrensen successfully bridges this divide, arguing that what a self is, metaphysically, cannot be understood apart from the pragmatics of personal identity. She convincingly argues that selfhood—and therefore personal identity—is embedded in a wider social world of narrative and conventions. This argument sets the stage for an important original contribution: Behrensen explains how the state manages and, in some cases perverts, who we are and what we are allowed to become. — Carol Hay, Associate Professor of Philosophy and Director of Gender Studies, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Takes a transdisciplinary approach to the question of personal identity, engaging disciplines that have not been fully conversant.
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Demonstrates how and why the question of personal identity is of immediate practical and ethical relevance.
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Offers a fresh perspective on the discussion of identity in the ethics of technology.
Ideal for advanced-level students looking for a guide to this complex and timely issue.
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