The Administrative Soul

Language philosopher Bry Willis argues that the enduring metaphysical self is a fictional construct maintained by legal and social institutions for administrative convenience. Rather than a singular person persisting through time, Willis describes individuals as a series of connected episodes linked by a process of structured inheritance. Under this model, the present version of a person does not "equal" their past self but instead inherits specific obligations and assets through various bureaucratic and physical protocols. By deconstructing the concept of personal identity, the author suggests we should move away from retributive punishment and basic desert, as no one is the ultimate author of their own constitution. Instead, society should adopt an audit-based approach to identity that emphasises symmetry, proportionality, and the right to discontinuity from the past. Overturning the "administrative soul" ultimately shifts the focus from abstract moral stains to functional restitution and political resistance against institutional filing systems.👉 https://brywillis634737.substack.com/p/the-administrative-soul