Ship of Theseus

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/ship-of-theseus

1. What is the mythological context?
2. What is the philosophical problem introduced?
3. Why do people ask if the ship is still the same after all its parts are replaced?
4. What happens if the old parts are put together to make a new ship?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the mythological context?The ship of the Athenian hero Theseus, used for annual pilgrimages
2. What is the philosophical problem introduced?The problem of identity persistence when all constituent parts are replaced
3. Why do people ask if the ship is still the same after all its parts are replaced?It helps us think about what makes something the same, like its shape, purpose, or the material it is made of.
4. What happens if the old parts are put together to make a new ship?Then we have two ships that could both be called the Ship of Theseus, and we must decide which one is the real one.

Paradox of Identity: A philosophical puzzle concerning whether an object remains the same entity after undergoing complete material change.
Persistence: The property of an object or person remaining the same entity over time despite changes.
Material Constitution: The idea that an object's identity is determined by the specific matter it is made of.
Continuity: The unbroken and consistent existence or operation of something over time.