The Band of Theseus: Social Individuals and Mental Files. (July 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Terrone, Enrico
• Other Names: Ylikoski Petri guest-editor.; Bouvier Alban guest-editor.; Kaldis Byron guest-editor.; Montuschi Eleonora guest-editor.; Zahle Julie guest-editor.; Zamora-Bonilla Jesus guest-editor.
• Is Part Of: Philosophy of the social sciences. Volume 47:Number 4/5(2017:Jul/Sep.)
• Page Start: 287
• Page End: 310
• Publication Date: 2017-07
• Subjects: social ontology -- mental files -- individuals -- ship of Theseus -- identity conditions; Social sciences -- Periodicals; Social sciences -- Methodology -- Periodicals; Sciences sociales -- Périodiques; Sciences sociales -- Méthodologie -- Périodiques; 300.1
• DOI: 10.1177/0048393117705298
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0048-3931

Abstract

Social individuals are social entities having a distinctive individuality, often signaled by the use of a proper name to designate them. This article proposes an account of social individuals based on the notion of a mental file, understood as a repository of information about a single individual. First, I consider a variant of the puzzle of the ship of Theseus in which the object having problematic identity conditions is a social individual, namely, a rock band. Then, I argue that we can figure out such identity conditions by considering the mental files concerning this band. In conclusion, I outline a version of social constructionism according to which the existence of social individuals like bands depends on mental files about them.