John Perry is Henry Waldgrave Stuart Professor of Philosophy Emeritus at Stanford University. He was also the co-host with Ken Taylor of the nationally syndicated radio show Philosophy Talk. John has worked in the philosophy of language, mind, and metaphysics, and is well-known for his famous Slingshot Argument with John Barwise. Robinson and John first talk about his book The Art of Procrastination: A Guide to Effective Dawdling, Lollygagging and Postponing. They then turn to some of his work on identity, personal identity, and the self.

OUTLINE

00:00 In This Episode…

00:58 Introduction

02:43 In Defense of Procrastination

10:45 Dialogues and Philosophical Writing

23:17 Identity and Personal Identity

35:37 Memory and Personal Identity

47:39 The Body-Identity Theory

54:18 Parfit and Lewis on Identity

01:03:31 John and the Memory Theory 

01:21:46 Death and Identity

01:32:46 Personhood and the Self

01:54:54 Could You Be Someone Else?

Robinson’s Website: http://robinsonerhardt.com

Robinson Erhardt researches symbolic logic and the foundations of mathematics at Stanford University. Join him in conversations with philosophers, scientists, weightlifters, artists, and everyone in-between.