Ship of Theseus Paradox

A philosophical puzzle related to identity, first posed by Plutarch, an Ancient Greek philosopher. The Ship of Theseus was an important ship that the Athenians wanted to preserve over a many years. Old, rotting pieces of the ship were replaced with new pieces, until all of the original pieces of the ship were replaced. The question became: is this still the Ship of Theseus? Depending on perspective, the answer can be yes or no.

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Key Insights & Principles

Identity

1. Identity often depends on perspective.
2. Everything is continuously changing.
3. Despite continuous change, things can retain identity.

1. Recognise that change is always happening, but depending on perspective, what something is can be maintained over time.

Business

1. Change of personnel can have a huge impact on organisational culture and identity.
2. Retaining culture can be most difficult during periods of rapid growth, where the risk of hiring mercenaries (incentivised by money) rather than missionaries (committed to the organisational mission) is larger.

1. When building a business, build a Ship of Theseus.

Book References