![61170082.JPG](https://steemitimages.com/DQmcPB1VBjx6AGP279oqmfujqkxKjVMR8KP9tVKHPxaMvFH/61170082.JPG)
Join the thinking [Toque Macaque](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/toque-macaques-in-polonnaruwa-sri-lanka) pictured here in pondering what makes you, *you*.

The idea that one can't clearly define what makes up "you", the individual, has grown in popularity in recent years and decades and may have major implications on the answers to other big questions relating to free will, the existence of souls, and individuality. 
The concept that there is no clearly defined individual "you" can be arrived at from philosophical, biological, chemical, and probably several other perspectives. 

What makes you, you? What chunk of matter is you and what matter is not you? It may feel easy to explain who you are, but demarcating the boundary between you and the rest of the world is far more difficult.

If you try to define what physical material exactly makes you you it gets tricky. Even immediately after you shower, billions if not trillions of bacteria and other organisms are living on and inside "you" and lots of them are useful or even critical to "your" survival. Many of our cells are thought to have formed/evolved from multiple species that joined together long ago. Mitochondria have their one DNA and are thought to have once been free-living bacteria. So we have billions of separate organisms living on and in us that influence our biochemistry and health and most of "our" cells came from distinct species way way back in our evolutionary past.

What organs are critical to you being you? If you lose a hand or an eye you are still you right? But if you put just your brain in a jar, is that still you? Your brain was shaped, and its wiring influenced, by external stimuli. Without a continuous supply of oxygen, nutrients, and stimuli to keep the chemical reactions at the heart of your mind  going, your brain would soon cease to think or experience. 

The atoms making up your body now are not the exact group of atoms that made it up five minutes ago or even a second ago. We are constantly shedding cells and producing new ones. We eat and excrete. The atoms in your body now have been in other bodies (human, animal, plant, and planetary) before and will be in others in the future.
These atoms were born billions of years ago, some from the Big Bang, some formed (were transformed) later in the hearts of massive stars and ended up on our planet and in you after a long journey following the explosions of those stars. 

Are we our DNA or genes? Or a byproduct of our DNA's desire to make more of itself?
If you have a clone or identical twin your DNA isn't unique to your body. (Ok, it turns out that [might not be exactly the case for identical twins](https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/identical-twins-genes-are-not-identical/).)
You have the same DNA but separate consciousnesses and experiences. Clones are quite common in nature across multiple kingdoms of life so this isn't a purely philosophical or pointless point to make.

How do you define you? What connects you to the you you were 10 years ago? Let me know in the comments!

## Feel free to check out my other posts:

## Photography and Travel
[Hawaii – Lava and Plants](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/hawaii-photos-round-2)
[Death to Snowballs!](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/death-to-snowballs)
[End of the Road – Lava!](https://steemit.com/travel/@johnniec/end-of-the-road-lava)
[Sunset Over Mt. Tamalpais, California]( https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/sunset-over-mt-tamalpais-california)
[Toque Macaques in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/toque-macaques-in-polonnaruwa-sri-lanka)
[Birds on San Francisco Bay – With GIFs](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/photographing-birds-on-san-francisco-bay)
[Elephant Seals of Año Nuevo State Park, California](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/elephant-seals-of-ano-nuevo-state-park-california-caption-contest)
[My Favorite Places to Backpack in the US](https://steemit.com/travel/@johnniec/my-favorite-places-to-backpack-in-the-us)
[Why You Should Visit Arkansas: Mountains, Rivers, Public Diamond Mines & Great Food!](https://steemit.com/travel/@johnniec/why-you-should-visit-arkansas-mountains-rivers-public-diamond-mines-and-great-food)
[Photo Sphere / 360 Photos - I use Google StreetView App, Any other Recommendations?](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/photo-sphere-360-photos-i-use-google-streetview-app-any-other-recommendations)
[Sleepy Lizard](https://steemit.com/photography/@johnniec/sleepy-lizard)
## Sustainability and Climate
[Renewable Energy Now Provides More Electricity Than Nuclear in the US](https://steemit.com/news/@johnniec/renewable-energy-now-provides-more-electricity-than-nuclear-in-the-us)
[Affordable Grid-Scale Storage Is Coming. (And in some places it has already arrived)](https://steemit.com/technology/@johnniec/affordable-grid-scale-storage-is-coming-and-in-some-places-it-has-already-arrived)
[Using Algae for Wastewater Treatment and Biofuel Production](https://steemit.com/science/@johnniec/using-algae-for-wastewater-treatment-and-biofuel-production)
[Why Climate Progress Will Continue in the USA.](https://steemit.com/news/@johnniec/climate-progress-will-continue-in-the-usa-red-states-can-t-stop-themselves-from-installing-more-wind-and-blue-cities-and-states)
[Six Non-tree Things Paper Can be Made From (I promise these are interesting)](https://steemit.com/nature/@johnniec/six-non-tree-things-paper-can-be-made-from-i-promise-these-are-interesting)
[Drawdown - The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming](https://steemit.com/science/@johnniec/drawdown-the-most-comprehensive-plan-ever-proposed-to-reverse-global-warming)
## Science, Volunteer Computing, and Gridcoin
[Let Your Computer Dream About Science While You Sleep (& Earn Cryptocurrency For Doing So!)](https://steemit.com/boinc/@johnniec/let-your-computer-dream-about-science-while-you-sleep-and-earn-cryptocurrency-for-doing-so)
[Steemit Writers, Science Needs Your Help! Get the word out on how any computer or Android can boost research on cancer, astrophysics, clean energy & more!](https://steemit.com/steemit/@johnniec/steemit-writers-science-needs-your-help-get-the-word-out-on-how-any-computer-or-android-can-boost-research-on-cancer)
[The Best Volunteer Computing Screensavers – Crowdsourcing Project](https://steemit.com/boinc/@johnniec/the-best-volunteer-computing-screensavers-crowdsourcing-project)
[Scientists of Steemit! Tell us about your research on #Science!](https://steemit.com/science/@johnniec/scientists-of-steemit-tell-us-about-your-research-on-science)
[BOINC – Impressive Accomplishments and Incredible Potential](https://steemit.com/boinc/@johnniec/boinc-impressive-accomplishments-and-incredible-potential)