How does this sentence fit into context?


Context: This happens in the main character's dream. He sees some weird person
and he can't clearly see their face (so he doesn't even know if they're a man
or a woman). The person gives him a magical box that can grant wishes. After
they hold out the box:

> そして確か僕は、「どうして僕に **こんなものを** ？」なんてつまらない質問をした。
>
> 「君が実におもしろいからだよ。私は個性のない君たちの些細な相異を区別できない。 **その人をその人と認識できない。**

A couple of things. First, こんなもの here is the magical box. Then there is my
attempt at translation of this paragraph:

> And then, of course, what a boring question I asked!
>
> "Such a thing? To me? Why?.."
>
> "Because you're quite amusing. I can't tell apart the slight differences in
> your kind's colorless personalities.

However, I can't seem to bind the sentence in bold to the context and the
previous text here. If translated literally, I would do this as "Can't
recognize/realize such people from such people". I'm almost sure the "person"
is talking about the whole mankind (because there's no others who could fit
into 君 **たち** near the main character). Then if they're indeed talking about
the entire human race, who are その人 (such people)? And the question that bugs
me the most is: how does 認識できない fit here? 認識 is literally
"recognition/realization/knowledge", and I don't have a slightest clue about
how you can "recognize/realize その人 from その人". So any help would be greatly
appreciated.

Also, I would like to ask if I understand the "と" particle correctly and it
indeed means "...such people **from** such people". Because if it means
**and** as it usually does in such a case, then I don't have a slightest clue
how to interpret it, either.

Thanks.




> 「どうして僕にこんなものを？」

I think this is a short form of "どうして僕にこんなものを **くれるの** ？ _Why will you give me
a thing like this?_ or _Why will you give me a box like this?_ " judging from
the given context.

> その人をその人と認識できない。

I'll give you similar sentences as follows in order that you could understand
the above given sentence for yourself.

(1) 私は、その人をArchAlessusと認識できる _I can recognize that person as ArchAlessus._  
(2) 私は、その人を先生と認識できる _I can recognize that person as a teacher._  
(3) 私は、その人を他の人と区別して認識できる _I can recognize that person by distinguishing it
from other people_.  
(4) 私は、その人をその人と認識できる _I can recognize that person as that person_.

### EDIT

> (1) 私は、その人をArchAlessus **と** 認識できる _I can recognize that person as
> ArchAlessus._  
>  I don't think I've ever seen "と" translated as "as" before.

We usually say like "私は、その人をArchAlessus **と** 認識できる" for "I can recognize that
person as ArchAlessus", and we can understand the meaning very well, but it's
better to say formally as "私は、その人をArchAlessus **として** 認識できる".

Then the questioner may understand "と" as "as" perfectly.




> 「どうして僕にこんなものを？」

I think this is a short form of "どうして僕にこんなものを **くれるの** ？ _Why will you give me
a thing like this?_ or _Why will you give me a box like this?_ " judging from
the given context.

> その人をその人と認識できない。

I'll give you similar sentences as follows in order that you could understand
the above given sentence for yourself.

(1) 私は、その人をArchAlessusと認識できる _I can recognize that person as ArchAlessus._  
(2) 私は、その人を先生と認識できる _I can recognize that person as a teacher._  
(3) 私は、その人を他の人と区別して認識できる _I can recognize that person by distinguishing it
from other people_.  
(4) 私は、その人をその人と認識できる _I can recognize that person as that person_.

### EDIT

> (1) 私は、その人をArchAlessus **と** 認識できる _I can recognize that person as
> ArchAlessus._  
>  I don't think I've ever seen "と" translated as "as" before.

We usually say like "私は、その人をArchAlessus **と** 認識できる" for "I can recognize that
person as ArchAlessus", and we can understand the meaning very well, but it's
better to say formally as "私は、その人をArchAlessus **として** 認識できる".

Then the questioner may understand "と" as "as" perfectly.

