I am me and you are you, but what makes me, me and you, you? We all have an awareness of the self and no matter what language we speak, we have different words that help us differentiate ourselves from one another. The concept of ‘individuality’ is well engrained in all of us.
The question remains though, what makes you, you. Just by saying the words doesn’t give a proper answer. It’s just stating a fact without giving any reason. Granted it is more of a philosophical question but one that is very interesting to ponder upon.
So, what answers have people given for this? Let’s see.
Your Body
The first obvious answer that anybody will think of is that your body makes you, you. We all have our own bodies and therefore it establishes the concepts of you, me, him, her and so forth.
That is correct to an extent but let’s take a look at this from another angle. Our bodies are made up of trillions of cells. Every day new cells are born and old cells die. It is estimated that in 7 years, all our old cells are replaced by new one.
This means that you essentially have a new body every 7 years. Granted, it is one that looks very similar to the one 7 years back but still it is new. So, if your body is what makes you, you, then do you become someone else every seven years? No, you don’t right?
Also, let’s say, in the future, we have a perfect cloning system that can make copies of you. Let’s say we make 10 perfect copies of you. Which of the 10 would you say is you given that all of them are you!
Your Brain
Although the brain is the part of the body, this can serve as an independent answer to our question. The brain stores all our memories and thought processes. Even our personalities exist because of the brain. So, it would be a natural answer that it is your brain that makes you, you.
That is very close to the answer but there are certain situations where this might not apply. Let’s take on a thought experiment. Say, in the future, we are able to do brain transplants and let’s say that your brain was transplanted to someone else.
How would this affect the explanation of you? Wouldn’t the brain be in a state of confusion because whatever information you have stored about you in the brain will contradict because of the new body and who is to say this information cannot be over written?
Your Consciousness
This is another answer that people commonly provide for our question. The consciousness is our basic awareness of our individuality in relation to our surrounding. People often suggest that it is the consciousness that differs one individual from the another.
But there is a problem with this answer. We are still not 100% sure where consciousness resides in the body. If it sits inside our brains, then it we already discussed how that would cause problems for the definition of you.
Consider another thought experiment. If in the future, somehow, we find a way to upload our consciousness to a computer or a robot, who will be you, then? The argument can be made that the original would be you of course and the rest just copies but won’t that challenge the definition of you? After all we have always assumed ourselves to be unique and different than everyone else right?