Grzegorz HołubCorresponding author

Being a Person and Acting as a Person

Article
13/2 - Fall 2008, pages 261-276
Date of online publication: 08 mars 2016
Date of publication: 30 décembre 2008

Abstract

The article is primarily concerned with the ambiguities which surround the concept of the person. According to the philosophical tradition taking its roots from Locke's definition, personhood depends on consciousness. Therefore, “personhood” can be ascribed to different entities, and only these entities acquire a moral standing. This can entail that a human being may or may not be considered as a person, as well as higher animals and even artificial machines. Everything depends on manifest personal characteristics. In order to sort out different meanings ascribed to “person,” I distinguish between being a person and acting as a person. Then, I show that a human being is a paradigm of the person and his being always precedes his acting.

Cite this article

Hołub, Grzegorz. “Being a Person and Acting as a Person.” Forum Philosophicum 13, no. 2 (2008): 261–76. doi:10.35765/forphil.2008.1302.21.