Rethinking the Ship of Theseus Paradigm: Locality, Memorial 1 Value, and the Deconstruction of Material Identity

This paper argues that the ancient philosophical thought experiment of the "Ship of Theseus" has long been trapped in a sterile, localized trap of "material composition" and "part replacement," leading to endless and circular debates. Traditional approaches have presupposed that the identity of an object can be determined solely through physical continuity, thereby generating irresolvable paradoxes. As an alternative, this study introduces two novel criteria: "primary locality" and "memorial value." Furthermore, by applying museum artifact restoration methodologies to the second ship reconstructed from decayed parts, we establish strict conditions for its authenticity. Finally, through an extreme thought experiment where these two competing values clash, we deconstruct the very concept of material identity and propose an "aesthetics of letting go."