Personal identity is the persistent and ongoing view that humans have of themselves, which evolves and develops throughout life. This can include aspects of your life that you have no control over, such as where you grew up or the color of your skin, as well as the choices you make in life, such as how you spend your time and what you believe in. You outwardly demonstrate parts of your personal identity through what you wear and how you interact with others. You may also keep parts of your personal identity to yourself, even if those parts of yourself are very important. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Before taking this course, I often struggled to answer the simple question “Who am I?” and I've thought a lot about who I might become in the future, as well as how much personal control I have over these matters. These uncertainties have been reflected on and discussed throughout history, notably by philosophers who have immersed themselves in the search for knowledge about the nature of human beings. Most people have a sense of wanting to endure in some way, both in life and beyond death. The philosophy of personal identity aims to address these questions of existence and how we know we exist throughout time. How do you know you were the same person you were when you were a child? Is it because you remember growing up in the same body you have now? Or is it because you have the same mind? What criteria can be used to confirm that you are indeed a “person”? When you wonder how you know you're the same person you were when you were a baby, it's a matter of perseverance. In other words, we perceive that our self “persists” throughout our lives as the same human being. The philosophers Plato and Descartes, as well as many religions, proposed that we persist because we have a soul, a timeless essence that endures in some form even after our living, breathing human body dies. I agree with this view, which has had a huge impact on the way I look at people today. In my opinion, a person's personal identity evolves, grows and changes throughout their life, as they do. But there is a difference between who you identify with and who you are. You are still the same as you were when you were born, housing the same spirit and soul in the same body. However, the mind, soul, and body undergo incredible existential changes during this time. Your opinions and attitudes on particular topics may change and your body becomes almost unrecognizable, but you are still the same human you were at birth. However, a person's identity is shaped by many different aspects. Family, friends, personal interests, cultures, and environment are all factors that help shape a person's identity. Some factors may have a greater influence than others, while others may have no influence. As a person grows up in a family, they are influenced by many aspects of their life. Family and culture can influence a person's sense of responsibility, ethics and morals, tastes in music, comedy and sports, as well as many other aspects of life. Friends and the surrounding environment can influence a person's tastes...