Derek Parfit
One of philosophy’s most renowned thinkers and authors, Derek Parfit is known for his groundbreaking work on personal identity and moral philosophy. His books, Reasons and Persons and On What Matters, have earned him wide admiration and acclaim within the field. Parfit’s works are characterized by his strong focus on concepts of reason, morality, personal identity, and the implications of all these for our actions and our lives.
Derek Parfit was born in Chengdu, China in 1942 to British parents. He grew up in England, where he attended Hymer’s College, Hull Grammar School, and Oxford University. At Oxford, Parfit studied English Literature, Classics, and Philosophy, graduating with a first-class degree. From there, he went to Harvard Law School, the University of Cambridge, and Stanford University’s Department of History and Philosophy of Science.
Parfit’s seminal book, Reasons and Persons, was published in 1984. The book explored questions around personal identity and how our concepts of moral philosophy and rationality can affect important decisions we make in our day-to-day lives. Parfit argued that they should be taken into consideration as we go about making decisions and maintaining our identity.
In Reasons and Persons, Parfit considered the concept of ‘identity’ from an ethical standpoint, asking questions such as: How can we understand past events and memories to make sense of what we are now? Can moral obligations be determined by our past selves? He argued that evolution has had a significant role in shaping our notions of identity, suggesting that we should acknowledge and take responsibility for our cumulative pasts in determining our moral identities.
Parfit also advanced the ‘Non-Identity Problem’. This issue relates to how our personalities, values, and preferences determine our decisions, and how these choices affect our own identity and the identity of those around us. Parfit argued that because our decisions shape who we are and how we act, we must all receive fair treatment regardless of our backgrounds or past behavior when it comes to determining our own moral identity.
In 2010, Parfit published On What Matters, a three-volume work exploring morality and aiming to answer philosophical questions related to the nature of justice and value. In this work, Parfit proposed an idea of ‘Realistic Liberalism’, a concept of morality that takes into consideration our physical and social surroundings, the importance of shared norms and values, and the rule of practical reason over ethical idealism.
Parfit received many honors for his work, including a fellowship from the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a Commander of the Order of the British Empire from Queen Elizabeth II. He was also awarded the Rolf Schock Prize from the Swedish Royal Academy of Sciences and a Knighthood from the Netherlands.
Derek Parfit was a highly influential philosopher whose work has helped shape the way we understand and make decisions about our moral identity. His books Reasons and Persons and On What Matters remain essential reading among students of philosophical thought. Parfit’s thought is renowned for its exploration of realism, liberalism, and personal identity, which still remain highly relevant today.
