«the most advanced and articulate study to date of personal identity in Locke: capable not only of arguing with the major current interpreters, but also of giving a very broad account of the Lockean context of the time, especially bringing out the underlying moral and religious issues. The mastery with which the author manages to address both theoretical and historical issues puts her in a position to offer a contribution that represents the state of the art on the philosopher who made radical innovations in the debate on personal identity, through the modern age to the present.»

Simone D'Agostino, Gregorianum

«It will certainly be a major reference both for Locke studies and for the question of personal identity. The analytical orientation of the book, hardly surprising for such a subject, allows a clarification of the theses and debates, according to a rigorous perspective, without being either too dry or too difficult.»

Éric Marquer, Archives de Philosophie

«Ruth Boeker's text, Locke on Persons and Personal Identity, characterized by clarity of exposition and rigour in analysis and argumentation, focuses precisely on the issues of persons and personal identity, which have never ceased, from the 18th century ... to the present day ... to arouse profound interest and to provide valuable food for thought not only from a historical-philosophical point of view, but also and above all from a theoretical, ethical and theological perspective.»

Davide Poggi, Studi Lockiani

«... it seems to me that Boeker's book represents the state of the art in thinking about Locke on personal identity. She is a careful scholar, a good historian, and an acute philosopher. If someone decides to do philosophical research on Locke's chapter on personal identity, there is not a better starting point than her book.»

Michael Jacovides, Purdue University, Journal of the History of Philosophy

«Boeker's work is an excellent contribution and will be of use to both educators in early modern philosophy and scholars of Locke.»

Jon W Thomspon, The Philosophical Quarterly

«Ruth Boeker provides the most scholarly and sophisticated book-length study of Locke's view of personal identity to date. She puts forward a reading of Locke's account of personal identity and its relationship to his eschatological and moral beliefs, she defends this account against both well-known and lesser-known objections leveled by Locke's peers, and she reconstructs how the account emerges from Locke's thinking about the philosophical and religious problems pertinent among his intellectual predecessors. There is no question that its careful study of the literature, attention to detail, thorough argumentation, and broad view of intellectual context make it mandatory reading for anyone with a scholarly interest in Locke's theory of personal identity.»

David Wörner, NDPR

«Ruth Boeker's Locke on Persons and Personal Identity is a tightly argued and illuminating account, containing much to ponder.»

Margaret Atherton, Australasian Journal of Philosophy

«This excellent book provides an account of John Locke's views on personhood and personal identity ... Because the author's concern is essentially historical and interpretive, the book will be especially useful to those with research interests in Locke's views on these issues and his philosophical views in general.»

M. A. Michael, CHOICE

«This intelligently written, stimulating,compelling book is indeed likely to become the go-to source on Locke's views on persons and personal identity.»

Diego Lucci, Journal of Early Modern Studies

«Characterized by rigorous argumentation and grounded in excellent scrutiny of literature, Boeker's work, marked by a decisive interpretative perspective, represents a relevant and in some ways innovative contribution to the discussion of Locke's theory of personal identity that is still alive today.»

Marzia Marconi, Rivista di filosofia