The Mirage Self Paradox

This article introduces The Mirage Self Paradox, a philosophical framework addressing personal identity under biological continuity but complete experiential divergence. Holding the body and genome constant while altering environment, culture, and relationships, the paradox demonstrates a conflict: physical continuity suggests identity preservation, while psychological discontinuity implies non-identity. The paper situates the paradox within theories of Locke, Parfit, and bodily accounts, and develops thought experiments—including a high-pressure socioeconomic–cultural contrast—to test its implications. Applications extend to philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, law, and AI, highlighting how identity may be context-relative rather than absolute.