Stackoverflow question: Is there a built-in identity function in Python?

[Peter Otten]

Ethan Furman wrote:

> The simple answer is No, and all the answers agree on that point.
> 
> It does beg the question of what an identity function is, though.
> 
> My contention is that an identity function is a do-nothing function that
> simply returns what it was given:
> 
> --> identity(1)
> 1
> 
> --> identity('spam')
> 'spam'
> 
> --> identity('spam', 'eggs', 7)
> ('spam', 'eggs', 7)

Hm, what does -- and what should --

identity(('spam', 'eggs', 7))

produce?

> 
> Of the five answers to that SO question, mine is the only one that will
> correctly handle those three examples.  If you
> agree with my contention feel free to up-vote my answer.  :)
> 
> https://stackoverflow.com/a/8748063/208880
> 
> --
> ~Ethan~