Theseus (Ship)
conceptThe Ship of Theseus is a thought experiment about identity: if you replace every plank of a ship one by one, is it still the same ship?
The Myth
The Athenians preserved the ship Theseus sailed to Crete in their harbour for centuries as a sacred relic. As planks rotted, they were replaced with new timber. Plutarch asked: at what point does it cease to be Theseus's ship? If all the original planks are replaced, is it the same ship? And if you reassembled the old planks into a ship, which one is the "real" ship of Theseus? This became one of Western philosophy's foundational problems of identity, still debated in philosophy, law, and computer science.
Symbols
Fun Fact
The Ship of Theseus paradox has been used to debate everything from personal identity to patent law to the question of whether a restored building is "original."
Words We Inherited
English words and phrases that trace back to this myth:
Explore Further
Crete
placeCrete was the largest Greek island and the seat of the Minoan civilisation, home to King Minos, the...
Theseus
heroThe hero who navigated the Labyrinth, slew the Minotaur, and became the legendary king of Athens....
Aegis
conceptThe aegis was a divine shield or breastplate belonging to Zeus and wielded by Athena, fringed with...
Aidos
conceptAidos was the Greek concept of shame, reverence, and the inner sense of propriety that restrained...
Ajax (Shield)
conceptAjax's shield was a massive tower shield of seven ox-hides layered with bronze — the largest...
Amazonomachy
conceptThe Amazonomachy was the legendary battle between the Athenians and the Amazons who invaded Athens...