Conclusion

This chapter examines another reason why the idea of a person's overall moral identity or nature may be useful in a Lockean framework. It first considers the difficulty that arises when materialists or mortalists address the troublesome question of what guarantees personal identity between death and resurrection before discussing John Locke's reply to the same question in terms of consciousness. It then explores Locke's position regarding the idea that God may give each of us a brand-new body on the Day of Judgment, which won't matter so long as our personality and memory information and mental capacities and consciousness are somehow preserved. It argues that this kind of preservation of personal identity is no worse than its preservation through sleep or change of material particles. The chapter also analyzes the link between consciousness and concernment and concludes by commenting on punishment and reward.