Personal Identity as a complex multi-layered Phenomenon: a phenomenological Analysis based on Dan Zahavi’s Thought

Abstract

The aim of the following article is to present a phenomenological understanding of personal identity as a complex and multi-layered phenomenon, taking as a starting point Danish philosopher Dan Zahavi’s thought. While Zahavi presents the experiential dimension of the self as the foundation and core of the self, and therefore of personal identity, one wonders if this experiential self cannot be complemented by a stronger notion of self, which I call the personal core. Firstly, I will present Zahavi’s account on personal identity. Secondly, I will propose that such a personal core is given as a phenomenological fact, that is, it is revealed by the very experience of the self. Finally, I will argue that this personal nucleus, which is the foundation of the other dimensions of the self and of personal identity, can be complemented with the other two dimensions of the self, developed by Zahavi.