Sumer Jnagal

Personhood and Dementia

Started June 12, 2025

Abstract or project description

This research project will examine how a person's identity and personhood persist, change, or evolve in cases of memory instability and loss associated with dementia. This paper will evaluate philosophical perspectives on identity and psychological continuity in order to understand what it means to be a person and for a person to persist over time. This project will explore questions like: Is personhood lost when a person loses their memories? When does someone stop being the same person? Is self identity a necessary component of personhood, and if so, who does someone become when they lose their memories or other core featuers of their identity.