This paper presents a functional genealogy of essentialist authenticity. The essentialist account maintains that authenticity is the result of discovering and realizing one's ‘true self’. The genealogy shows that essentialist authenticity can serve the function of supporting continuity in one's individual characteristics. A genealogy of essentialist authenticity is not only methodologically interesting as the first functional genealogy of a contingent concept. It can also deepen the functional understanding of authenticity used in neuroethics, provide a possible explanation for the prevalence of the idea of an essentialist true self and justify the use of the ideal of authenticity. First, essentialist authenticity is defined and explained through the work of Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Second, a general need to have steady characteristics is derived from basic human practices. Third, circumstances that make it more challenging to steady oneself are identified and shown to have become more prevalent in the age of modernity when the ideal of authenticity emerged. Finally, it is shown how essentialist authenticity helps to steady the self.

中文翻译：

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做真实的自己有什么意义？本质主义真实性的谱系

本文介绍了本质主义真实性的功能谱系。本质主义者的观点认为，真实性是发现和实现一个人的“真实自我”的结果。谱系表明，本质主义的真实性可以起到支持个人特征连续性的作用。本质主义真实性的谱系不仅在方法上作为偶然概念的第一个功能谱系在方法上很有趣。它还可以加深对神经伦理学中使用的真实性的功能性理解，为本质主义真实自我概念的流行提供可能的解释，并证明使用真实性理想的合理性。首先，本质主义的真实性是通过让-雅克·卢梭的作品来定义和解释的。第二，具有稳定特征的普遍需要源自人类的基本实践。第三，当真实性理想出现的现代性时代，使稳定自己变得更具挑战性的环境被识别并显示出变得更加普遍。最后，它展示了本质主义的真实性如何帮助稳定自我。