What is the answer to “Who are you?” (Philosophically)

4 points by docdot ↗ HN

9 comments

[ 5.3 ms ] story [ 28.1 ms ] thread
I generally answer that I'm a grumpy old white guy, who can fix anything given sufficient time and budget, even an old broken down alien spaceship from area 51.

So far, no offers to fix anything at Area 51 have emerged.

If the past is something you cannot have back, and the future is something that has not yet been given to you, then you are now - nothing more, and nothing less. You should therefore, not allow the past to discolour your now any more than you should allow fear of what may come to influence your judgement, your thoughts, and your actions.

You are a being.

Depends on the context, the level of analysis implied and the philosophical framework.

It's an ambiguous question.

My answer is "What are you asking?"

A guy that has no time for philosophy.
An electron ghost controlling an organic robot.
I'm someone very different than the person each individual that I know think of. Not sure who is right.