Parfit akaberekwa muna 1942 muChengdu, China, mwanakomana waJessie (née Browne) naNorman Parfit, vanachiremba vezvokurapa vakanga vatamira kuWestern China kunodzidzisa mishonga yekudzivirira muzvipatara zvevafundisi. Mhuri yakadzokera kuUnited Kingdom rinenge gore rimwe mushure mekuberekwa kwaParfit, vakagara muOxford. Parfit akadzidziswa kuEton College. Kubva achiri mudiki, akaedza kuva mudetembi, asi akasiya nhetembo kusvika pakupera kwehudiki hwake. Akazofunda Nhoroondo Yemazuva Ano paYunivhesiti yeOxford, achipedza kudzidza muna 1964. Muna 1965<unk>66 aive Harkness Fellow paColumbia University neHarvard University. Akasiya zvidzidzo zvezvakaitika kare zvehuzivi panguva yekudzidza, ndokudzokera kuOxford kunodzidzisa kuti ave mushandi weAll Souls College. Mubvunzo: Chii chakaitwa nevabereki vaParfit kuChina?
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