The self: from philosophy to cognitive neuroscience
1UC San Francisco, Neurology, San Francisco, CA, USA. Winston.Chiong@ucsf.edu
Neurocase
|April 21, 2011
Summary
Neuroscience now explores the self, bridging philosophy and science. This review connects philosophical self-debates with cognitive neuroscience findings on unity, emotion, and agency.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Historically, the nature of the self was a philosophical inquiry.
- Contemporary cognitive neuroscience offers new perspectives on selfhood.
Observation:
- This article reviews three philosophical debates on the self.
- It links these debates to current neuroscience research.
Findings:
- Philosophical approaches (rationalist, empiricist) connect to split-brain studies, mental time travel, and default mode network research.
- Phenomenology and intentionality relate to interoception, emotion, and mirror neuron systems.
- Agency and autonomy debates align with action awareness and clinical insights in dementia and addiction.
Implications:
- Fosters interdisciplinary dialogue between philosophy and neuroscience.
- Provides a framework for understanding the self through empirical and theoretical lenses.
- Highlights the scientific basis of long-standing philosophical questions about selfhood.
Related Concept Videos
01:28Understanding the Self
The self is a central aspect of human identity, encompassing an individual’s beliefs, emotions, perceptions, and experiences. It is a cognitive and psychological construct that enables individuals to interpret their traits and behaviors, influencing how they perceive themselves and interact with the world. While personality consists of stable and enduring characteristics, the self is shaped by self-perception and social experiences. This distinction highlights the dynamic nature of the self,...
01:20Understanding Self-Concept
The self-concept encompasses individuals' beliefs about themselves, structured through cognitive frameworks known as self-schemas. These schemas function as mental representations of specific traits or behaviors, influencing how self-relevant information is perceived, processed, and remembered. For example, individuals who are schematic for body weight are more likely to interpret routine experiences—such as dining out or shopping—through the lens of that trait. Conversely, those aschematic for...
01:17Cognitivism
Cognitive psychology emerged as a significant field in the mid-20th century. It focused on understanding humans' internal mental processes. This approach emphasizes how people perceive, remember, think, and solve problems—elements critical to human cognition.
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
Previously dominated by behaviorism, which prioritized observable behaviors and largely ignored mental processes, psychology transformed in the 1950s. Cognitive psychologists argue that understanding how we think and process information is...
01:37Reason and Intuition
The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...
01:20Introduction to Cognitive Psychology
Cognitive psychology is the field of psychology dedicated to examining how people think. It attempts to explain how and why we think the way we do by studying the interactions among human thinking, emotion, creativity, language, and problem-solving, as well as other cognitive processes. Cognitive psychology studies how information is processed and manipulated in remembering, thinking, and knowing.
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
This field emerged in the mid-20th century, following a period dominated by behaviorism, which...
01:29Structure of Self
Sigmund Freud's model of the human psyche is often illustrated using an iceberg analogy. The iceberg's visible tip represents the conscious mind, which includes thoughts and perceptions that individuals are immediately aware of. However, the larger, submerged portion of the iceberg represents the unconscious mind, a reservoir of repressed desires, instincts, and memories. According to Freud, human behavior is primarily shaped by this hidden realm.
Components of the Mind: Id, Ego, and Superego
Components of the Mind: Id, Ego, and Superego