Bundle theory
Bundle theory, originated by the 18th century Scottish philosopher David Hume, is the ontological theory about objecthood in which an object consists only of a collection (bundle) of properties, relations or tropes.
According to bundle theory, an object consists of its properties and nothing more; thus, there cannot be an object without properties and one cannot conceive of such an object. For example, when we think of an apple, we think of its properties: redness, roundness, being a type of fruit, etc. There is nothing above and beyond these properties; the apple is nothing more than the collection of its properties. In particular, there is no substance in which the properties are inherent.
Bundle theory has been contrasted with the ego theory of the self, which views the egoic self as a soul-like substance existing in the same manner as the corporeal self.
David Hume’s bundle theory of self proposes that the mind is not a single, unified entity, but rather a “bundle” or collection of constantly changing perceptions, sensations, and ideas. Instead of an enduring soul or ego, our sense of self is created by the connections, like memory and cause and effect, we perceive between these fleeting mental states. Hume argued that we can never find a singular, permanent “self” when we introspect, only this continuously shifting bundle.
- Rejection of a unified self: The theory argues against a single, indivisible soul or ego that underlies our experiences.
- A collection of perceptions: According to the theory, the self is a “mass of perceptions” like thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations, such as “heat, cold, light, shade, love, hatred, pain, or pleasure”.
- Connections create the illusion of unity: Our mind creates the illusion of a single self because these perceptions are linked by relations of resemblance and causality, similar to how memories of past events are connected to present ones.
- Constant change: The contents of the “bundle” are always changing, and the self is not static but is in a state of constant flux.
In short: Hume’s bundle theory suggests that what we call “the self” is simply a convenient label for a collection of mental states, not a distinct substance that holds them together.
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[1] https://www.tiktok.com/@philosophyminis/video/7390738385071033632
[2] https://www.facebook.com/groups/577099355725236/posts/7326861574082280/
[4] https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/5501438.pdf?abstractid=5501438&mirid=1
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