Severance and the Ship of Theseus: Who Are We Without Our Pasts?
The Ship of Theseus is one of philosophy’s most enduring puzzles. If every plank of a ship is replaced over time, is it still the original ship? If you reassemble the discarded planks into a second vessel, does that one inherit its identity? This puzzle isn’t just about boats—it’s about identity, continuity, and transformation.
Apple TV’s Severance makes this puzzle visceral. The severance procedure splits a person into two distinct selves: the “innie,” who exists only at work, and the “outie,” who lives outside of it. The innie has no memory or connection to their outie’s life; their identity is created entirely within the confines of the workplace.
By blending philosophy, psychology, and societal critique, Severance pushes us to confront identity from multiple angles. What makes a person original? How do external forces shape who we become? And when our lives are fragmented, how do we find meaning in the pieces?
What Defines Originality?
In Severance, the innie begins life as something new—empty of past experiences and connections, with no sense of continuity. Yet they inhabit the same physical body as the outie, raising the question: Is the innie simply a “replacement plank” in the ship of selfhood? Or is their identity something completely separate, making them a new ship entirely?
The Ship of Theseus paradox forces us to grapple with the meaning of originality. If you replace every plank of a ship, is it still the same ship—not in terms of its existence, but in terms of its essence? Similarly, Severance forces us to ask whether memory and continuity are the planks that hold identity together—or if identity can persist even when those pieces are replaced.
This tension is more than theoretical. Severance raises a moral question: If a new self is created from the fragments of your life, are you responsible for their suffering? For the innies, this isn’t abstract—it’s survival.
Trauma, Fragmentation, and Rebuilding
Like the Ship of Theseus, trauma survivors often experience a diffuse sense of self. Survivors describe feeling disconnected from their past, as though the “planks” of their identity have been replaced. Healing can feel like piecing together a shipwreck.
But is the goal to return to the “original” self, or to build something new?
The innies of Severance live this reality. Stripped of continuity, they struggle to create meaning from fragments—glimpses of the outside world, stolen moments of rebellion. Their story reflects a universal truth: even when fragmented, we instinctively seek wholeness.
Who Owns the Ship?
In Severance, the workplace acts as the shipbuilder, defining the innie’s identity entirely within corporate boundaries. The severance procedure isn’t about personal transformation—it’s about control.
This reframes the Ship of Theseus paradox: If the “ship” of identity is rebuilt entirely by outside forces, can it still belong to the individual?
Modern workplaces already encroach on identity. From surveillance to “workplace culture,” corporations often blur the line between who we are and what we do. Severance takes this to its dystopian extreme, asking what happens when identity is severed, reshaped, and owned by someone else.
Integration and Meaning-Making
Both the Ship of Theseus paradox and Severance challenge us to rethink identity in the face of change. Are we defined by the continuity of our past, or is there something deeper—a core self that persists even as the pieces are replaced?
For the innies, this question is one of survival. Denied access to their past, they must forge identity from what little they have. For us, the question is one of choice: When the planks of our identity are inevitably replaced—through growth, trauma, or the passage of time—do we cling to the idea of an “original self,” or do we embrace the new ship we’ve become?
The Ship of Theseus paradox reminds us that identity is not fixed; it evolves, shaped by time and experience. Severance takes this a step further, asking what happens when identity is forcibly severed and reshaped.
By blending philosophy, psychology, and social critique, Severance reminds us that identity is always in flux. The challenge is not to restore what was, but to navigate what is. If we’re all Ships of Theseus, constantly replacing parts of ourselves, then the question isn’t whether we’re still “original.” The question is: What kind of ship do we want to be?
Reflection for Readers
What planks of your own identity have been replaced? Do you feel like the same person you were five years ago? And what kind of ship are you building now?