How Theseus’ paradox questions the overlooked concept: identity.
Greek mythology isn’t unpopular. Neither are its characters. This post has its foundation based on a story from the same.
As the tale goes, Theseus, the mythical founder of Athens single-handedly slew the evil minotaur of Crete and returned home in a ship. In honour, Athenians maintained the ship, popularly known as the ship of Theseus, for 1000 years and when each wooden part of the ship started to rot, they replaced it with a new one.
The question that arose now is simple: if eventually all parts of the ship are replaced, is it still the same ship?
If yes, then what is its identity-defining property?
If no, then what is its identity-defining property?
This thought experiment was initially introduced by Plutarch (Greek historian) in his book- ‘Life of Theseus.’ Thomas Hobbes (English philosopher) later made this more interesting.
He asked: if all the rotten and removed pieces were collected to build another ship, would this be the same ship Theseus sailed on?
If it is the same ship then what is the other one? Are they both original? Did we just split one ship into two identical ones? If yes, then which one is the clone or do both of them possess 50:50 units of identity measure. Too complicated. And kinda surreal.
Though they have absolutely no parts in common the two ships are theoretically the same, aren’t they? Well, it depends on what you think defines the ship.
If what defined the ship’s identity was its build, then both of them are built the same and hence should be the same and by that logic, any other ship with the same build would also be the same. So, no.
Is the answer purpose then? Again, the same logic rules out that option.
One of the most common thoughts running in our minds when we try to figure this out is that the ship could have lost its identity along the process of replacement. Cool. When did it lose it?
If we go piece by piece, did the ship retain its identity when all but one piece were replaced? That doesn’t seem right.
Suppose the ship is built of 1000 pieces, did it lose identity halfway through at 500 pieces?
If so, then building another ship with the removed 500 and then some should also constitute the original ship.
What it all boils down to, hence, is the definition of identity. After hours of googling and flipping through old dictionaries, one thing becomes clear, the aspects which define identity aren’t written down anywhere by anyone. And even if so, who’s to say this writer’s definition is the one and not somebody else’s.
Basically, the ship is and isn’t itself.
There lies the ‘paradox’ part of Theseus’ paradox.
This affects us on a more personal level than seems at first glance.