What Makes You Who You Are

It seems that there is at least one sphere where one has almost unlimited control: oneself. If anything is up to one to decide, who one is is up to oneself. I suggest in this paper that even this control is beyond us. There are important ways in which one’s identity—considered as true answers to the “who are you?” question—is constrained by the larger social context. In particular, I argue that one’s identity is metaphysically determined and existentially constrained by social practices. First, I distinguish between two types of identity: metaphysical identity and existential identity. Metaphysical identity encompasses social categories such as race, gender, and occupation. I argue that metaphysical identity is socially constructed such that societal norms and practices make it the case that one has the traits that constitute metaphysical identity. Existential identity, by contrast, relates to an individual’s deep commitments and values. Although one has much more control over one’s existential identity, this, too, faces socially-imposed limitations. In particular, existential identity is constrained by available hermeneutical resources. I conclude by exploring the ethical implications of this analysis of individual identity.