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Updated: Jul 17, 2026
07:20
Observing the Transformation of Bodily Self-consciousness in the Squeeze-machine Experiment
Published on: March 8, 2019
The society of selves
1Centre for Philosophy of Natural and Social Science, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, UK. n.humphrey@lse.ac.uk
Summary
Humans are uniquely aware of self and others, facing the philosophical "other minds" problem. Understanding consciousness
Area of Science:
- Evolutionary Psychology
- Philosophy of Mind
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Humans exhibit unparalleled sociability, yet grapple with the concept of individual conscious selfhood.
- The philosophical 'problem of other minds' highlights the inherent difficulty in understanding subjective experiences of others.
- The evolutionary origins and adaptive functions of consciousness privacy remain largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore the evolutionary history and potential adaptive functions of the privacy of consciousness.
- To examine the implications of psychic opacity in the context of human social cognition and self-awareness.
- To consider the benefits and consequences of limited psychic transparency in social interactions.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of consciousness and selfhood.
- Review of evolutionary psychology principles.
- Theoretical consideration of social cognition and intersubjectivity.
Main Results:
- The privacy of consciousness has a discernible evolutionary trajectory.
- Psychic opacity may serve crucial evolutionary functions, despite the importance of mind-reading.
- Understanding the benefits of limited psychic transparency offers new perspectives on social dynamics.
Conclusions:
- The inherent privacy of subjective experience is a product of evolutionary processes.
- While mind-reading is vital, complete psychic transparency may not be evolutionarily advantageous.
- Further research into the adaptive value of psychic opacity is warranted.
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