Theseus' Paradox: Are You Still You?

Theseus is known as a legendary ancient Greek king who is the supposed founder of Athens.  He appears in many myths and legends, but is most famous for his ship: the Ship of Theseus.  It was a grand ship that was gifted to him by the people of Athens and preserved as a memorial to him for hundreds of years.  Over time, however, one of the ship's planks began to rot.  So the plank was promptly replaced.  A little while later, another plank began to rot, so that plank was replaced as well.  Eventually, after years and years and years of this, none of the planks were the same.  Each one had been replaced at some point or another.  The question: is it still the same ship?

If your answer is no, then at what point does it stop being the same ship?  Once the first plank is replaced?  The last?  Halfway through?

If your answer is yes, then why?  If the ship had been taken apart and put back together with completely different pieces all at once, then would it still be the same ship?  Or does it only apply when the change is gradual?


Now, consider this:
Cells in your body do the same thing the planks do.  They die out, and they're replaced.  After about seven years, each cell in your body has been replaced and none of the original cells remain.  


Are you still the same person?  If so, why?

Psychology: 3 Reasons Why Girls Play Dumb

“To know nothing is the happiest life”

                    -Desiderius Erasmus

The topic of today’s post is slightly more psychological than philosophical, but can still be applied to both subjects.  It’s something that’s important to me because I see it all around me, and I see others perpetuating it.  We are annoyed with and hate the girls that do it, yet we give them no choice.  The topic of today’s post?  Girls who play dumb.

We’ll start with this: humans have an intrinsic desire to fit into a group.  This is due mainly to evolution—we are pack animals, so we must remain with a pack in order to survive.  But why do many girls feel like stupidity is the road to acceptance?  Why do girls play dumb?  Well, I believe that the first reason is this:

1.  Insecurity about true extent of intelligence

A girl who is insecure about her intelligence and genuinely believes that she is stupid is more likely to play up that aspect of her personality and pretend to be more stupid than she honestly is.  Boiled down to a couple sentences, her basic thought process is this:

“If I try to be smart, people will tell me I’m stupid, and therefore I’ll know I am stupid.

If I try to be stupid, people will tell me I’m stupid, but they just don’t realize that I’m only playing stupid, and therefore I might still be smart.”

If a girl feels like she will be shot down either way, then she has absolutely no incentive to try to be intelligent.  She feels as though her best option is to accept and embrace her stupidity.  Because according to society, the only thing more annoying than a simply stupid person is a stupid person that tries to be smart.

2. Societal gender roles

Intelligence is not a traditionally feminine trait.  Moreover, on a mental level, the testosterone in men makes them psychologically more aggressive, and the estrogen in females makes them psychologically more submissive.

This matters because it is usually the less assertive girls who begin to play dumb.  They don’t feel safe asserting their opinions and ideas, especially if those opinions and ideas oppose those of others.  In addition, girls take many psychological cues from society and the media telling them that intelligence and femininity are mutually exclusive, and therefore feel as though they can make themselves more feminine and more desirable by playing dumb.

3. The Media

When we watch TV shows and movies or read stories, we are constantly being presented with the stereotypical motley crew of friends containing every single stereotype known to man, enjoying their antics and living in happy harmony.  There’s the Smart Friend, the Attractive Friend, the Morally Upright Friend, etc.

And there is always, always the Stupid Friend.

The Stupid Friend is usually a fun, likable character designed for comedic relief.  He or she induces a lot of empathy from the audience, and at the same time makes the audience feel good about the extent of their own intelligence.  The worst part is that in female characters, the Stupid Friend often doubles as the Attractive Friend, making the idea of personifying this character all the more appealing.

If a girl is insecure, she may think to herself,

“I’m definitely not intelligent enough to be the Smart Friend, and based on my looks alone I’m definitely not pretty enough to be the Attractive Friend.  I’m not even sure if I’m a good enough of a person to be the Morally Upright Friend.  Therefore. . . I must be the Stupid Friend, right?

If a girl feels like she doesn't have a place, the character of the Stupid Friend is simply the easiest to embody, because what’s easier than being stupid?  As we learned from Desiderius Erasmus, ignorance is the simplest, happiest life. . .

. . .For the most part, at least.