In This Selection Locke Sets Forth His Psychological State Theory

In this selection Locke sets forth his psychological state theory of personal identity, locating the criterion of personal identity in terms of consciousness (personality, character, and, especially, memory). He says that personal identity consists in "the sameness of a rational being [consciousness]." This consciousness can take on different bodily forms and still preserve the same identity. It is possible for a prince to switch bodies with a cobbler, yet the prince would still be the prince.
-Locke asserts that if the same man had distinct and incommunicable consciousness at different times, the same man would at different times be different persons.