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Food for Thought

What’s In A Name?

Who is Tim Madigan?

At night when all the world’s asleep
The questions run too deep
For such a simple man
Won’t you please, please tell me what we’ve learned
I know it sounds absurd
Please tell me who I am, who I am, who I am.
— Supertramp, The Logical Song

The topic of personal identity is one that I have in recent weeks really started to take personally. I’ve had some serious doubts as to just who I am, all because of uncertainties about the one fact I once felt completely confident about – my name. If there’s one thing you should be able to rely upon to know who you are it should be your own name, but lately I’m not so sure.

For instance, about two months ago I started to get mysterious emails and telephone calls from strangers relating anecdotes about their love for the late children’s television host Fred Rogers.

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