What connects the adult with the child he once was? What justifies saying, despite the changes, that it is the same person? What constitutes the identity of experiencing subjects over time (their trans-temporal identity)? Is this identity real, or is it merely an illusion? With conceptual precision, argumentative clarity, and numerous illustrative examples, the author develops an answer to these questions. The insights gained are fundamental to our understanding of the difference between experiencing subjects and objects without an inner perspective. They illuminate the foundations of our self-conception and the appropriate respect for other conscious beings.