Houseki no Kuni and the Theseus Paradox: A Short Thread

I love the added depth Phos is given after incorporating the Ship of Theseus concept into his character. The concept raises the question, "If you replace all the parts and components of a ship, will it fundamentally be the same ship?"

It's a question that speaks of identity and is wonderfully woven into Phos' complex character. Is Phos inherently the same person after the loss of his memories? Memories and the past serve as important reminders of our humanity and this question can be applied to sufferers of

dementia and Alzheimer's. Even though, as the story unfolds, Phos does remember certain things about the world and himself, his loss of identity has caused serious psychological damage and for him to undergo a existential crisis regarding who he is fundamentally. Also, as Phos

experiences a new change, does this new change result in a different Phos? Is it a new person every time? He is forced in a endless, painful cycle of not being able to grasp and own a set personality and identity. The drastic change from a naive and ambitious Gem to a sedated,

more calculating Gem makes Phos more of a blank slate, whose character is entirely up in the air. This is where most of the emotion and pain lies since Phos is depressing to watch. Seeing this character completely lost and disoriented makes us value our own individuality

and personality. As humans, we all have a set character that we and others identify with. Again, this is where Theseus comes in. What makes us "us"? We have a brain but, once that is altered, what are we? This is a core idea in HnK and what makes Phos so engrossing as a character