Final answer:
Clive Wearing's experience, which includes severe anterograde amnesia due to hippocampal damage, illustrates that memory loss weakens his sense of identity. His ability to play piano remained, while his autobiographical memory was compromised, showing the impact of memory on personal identity. The correct answer is (c) Clive's memory loss weakens his sense of identity.
Step-by-step explanation:
Clive Wearing's case is a poignant example of the connection between memory and identity. As a result of his illness, Clive suffered damage to his hippocampus, leading to severe anterograde amnesia. While he retained the ability to play piano, reflecting procedural memory, he could not form new long-term memories or recall events from his personal life, which are components of declarative memory. Therefore, his identity as it relies on autobiographical memory was greatly compromised.
Referencing John Locke's view on identity, which is centered around the psychological continuity of consciousness and memory, Clive Wearing's experience aligns with the idea that memory is integral to personal identity. The continuity of our experiences, our ability to reflect upon them, and our memories all contribute to who we perceive ourselves to be.
If we relate this back to the given options, the correct answer is (c) Clive's memory loss weakens his sense of identity. This assertion is supported by how Clive struggles with the persistence of self and recognizing his existence in different times and places without his continuous memories.