Type of paperEssay (Any Type)

SubjectPhilosophy

Number of pages2

Format of citationMLA

Number of cited resources1

Type of serviceWriting

In the book Roadside Picnic by Arkady and Boris Strugatsky there is a character named Arthur. Arthur was ′wished′ into existence from a machine aliens left on Earth. Is Arthur human if he was created by a wish machine? Arthur is created suddenly wholly clothed as a human. Humans already have a history. We exist historically. Our past helps and hinder us in the present. We say, ″Jane has a lot of baggage.″ ″Joe′s carrying a heavy load since he lost his children.″ The character Arthur has no history, memories, etc. Somehow he knows the language and seems to be able to function in the world. The English philosopher, John Locke, thought that the self was tied to a person′s own memories. Arthur has no memories, so does he have a self? If so, then of what does it consist?