自我问题是哲学的老话题,塞尔对这个问题给出了与众不同的答案。他指出,洛克用记忆来论证人格同一性是循环论证。他主张应该把自我与行动联系起来考察。行动的解释不同于一般事件的因果解释,行动的理由不是行动的充分条件,因而有必要设立一个非休谟式的自我。他进一步用语言分析的方法描述了自我的逻辑特征。这对于深化行动哲学和自由意志的讨论具有积极意义。
Searle answers the persistant question,in philosophy the self question, in a different way. He points out that Locke' s argument for personal identity is circular. Connecting the self with action, he insists that the explanation of action shall be different from causality. Action alone is not sufficient, so that we must postulate a non - Humean self. Finally, he describes the logical feature of the self with language analysis.