Postgraduate
| Contact Campus | Sandy Bay Campus |
| Building | Arts Building |
| Room Reference | 372 |
| Telephone | +61 3 6249 2296 |
| Fax | +61 3 6240 5166 |
| dtreanor@utas.edu.au |
Through an analysis of friendship as a phenomenon I suggest a tentative explanation to the philosophical problem of personal identity that is embedded in Aristotelian ethics: it is plausible and realistic to define a person by one's capacity for relationships. The theme of metaphysical investigation will reveal that humanity is not inscribed only by rationality and intellectual prowess rather by one's capacity to experience relationships between individuals. I reject the notion that individuals are locked into a rigid network of divergence and individualism, rather that our personal identity rests primarily on an accurate understanding of our relational nature and capacity to change. The contemporary application of this theoretical construct will unlock and expose processes that will be particularly useful to individuals who are marginalised and excluded in our societies. Further, my hypothesis will argue for inclusion, for a shared humanity and a particularly practical approach to resolving conflict, enabling mediation processes and transforming relationships.