Rapid psychological change / trans. from Engl. O. M. Kadochnikova

Abstract

The article criticizes the psychological approach to the personal identity problem. An original argument is proposed
that emphasizes the difference between gradual and rapid psychological changes. The case of gradual personality changes
suggests the presence of psychological continuity in the mental states of a person. It entails that the person survives
during such changes. In case of rapid psychological change, the former personality is completely erased by brain-zap
to install bit-by-bit a new person at 100 seconds. According to the psychological approach, a person cannot survive during
such changes. However, this conclusion leads to a contradiction if we accept Parfit’s principle (which he uses to defend
the psychological approach) that what matters in survival cannot depend on a small difference (trivial facts), because
such differences are minor.