What Makes Someone a Person? | Michael Tooley

*What makes someone a person—and why does it matter?* Michael Tooley argues that being human may not be enough, on its own, to confer a right to life. Instead, he proposes that personhood depends on psychological continuity, memory, and the capacity to see oneself across time. Robert Lawrence Kuhn explores how this theory applies to abortion, vegetative states, animals, and even artificial intelligence. 0:00 What Makes Someone a Person 2:52 The Neo-Lockean Theory of Personhood 5:24 Memory, Identity, and Psychological Continuity 9:25 Personhood, Vegetative States, and the Right to Life 12:51 Potential Persons and the Abortion Debate 15:36 AI and the Limits of Personhood *Michael Tooley* is Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the University of Colorado Boulder. He received a Boulder Faculty Assembly Excellence in Research Award in 1998 for his book _Time, Tense, and Causation,_ and is the author of the new book _Causation: A Defense of a Non-Reductionist Approach_ (Oxford, 2026). *More from Michael Tooley on Closer To Truth:* * Closer To Truth: The Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJr3pJl27pLLkP0kHQKL9nZh35UkgkR_ * What Things Really Exist? - CTT Interview Series: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFJr3pJl27pL23EJxiJggorKB66CHSAU- * Closer To Truth contributors: https://closertotruth.com/contributor/michael-tooley/ *Subscribe to Closer To Truth:* https://www.youtube.com/@CloserToTruthTV *Join the Community:* * Membership (5,000+ videos): https://closertotruth.com/register/ * Audio Podcast: https://closertotruth.podbean.com * Support the Show: https://closertotruth.com/donate/ * Official Merchandise: https://www.bonfire.com/store/closertotruth/ *Follow Us:* * Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CloserToTruthTV/ * Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/closertotruth/ * X: https://x.com/CloserToTruth Closer To Truth, created and hosted by Robert Lawrence Kuhn, presents the world's greatest thinkers exploring humanity's deepest quest