Personal Identity and Buddhist Philosophy: Empty Persons

Siderits (philosophy, Illinois State U.) uses portions of Buddhist philosophy to defend a modified version of the Reductionist view of persons promoted by Derek Parfit in Reasons and Persons, simultaneously demonstrating the purpose of "fusion" philosophy, wherein elements of one tradition are used to solve problems in the other (in this case, analytical metaphysics). He addresses such criticisms of Reductionism as the continued existence of the self and the conventional truth of persons' existence. In a final chapter he considers the ethical implications of his modified Buddhist Reductionism. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR