Identity

[Ganyu]

"Cogito ergo sum." - Descartes

Here is a scenario: A human child has been raised by wolves since he was a baby. Is he a human or is he a wolf or is he something else?

What is identity? What makes us who we are? Do our physical traits determine our identity, or our minds? How do we derive our identities? If we cannot find our identity from externalities, can we know ourselves - are our identities unknown to us?

[Braixen]

I primarily look at this in a "what does the genes tell us" type way and that results in saying (to go off your example) that the individual raised by wolves will always be human. But this doesn't give much wiggle room for the actual person, and I think how someone views themselves is the most important and that will overrides everything else. So initially I will see them as a human but if they tell they're a wolf in some way shape or form then I will respect their thoughts and consider them a wolf moving forward. There is nothing more invalidating then telling someone they are wrong in regards to their self - their identity is important to them. I may have a science mind but I choose to let things slide and be relaxed about these sorts of things because human behaviour is complex and I cannot possible feel the way everyone else feels. So I need to accept them for who they are and how they see themselves.