The autonomous self
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Updated: Nov 7, 2026

Virtual Hand with Ambiguous Movement between the Self and Other Origin: Sense of Ownership and 'Other-Produced' Agency
Published on: October 28, 2020
Abstract:
Although the nature of the self has become a central issue in psychoanalysis, a comprehensive theory of its origin and development is needed. In an effort to elaborate one such theory, the author first reviews the history of psychoanalytic conceptualizations of the self. He then examines extra-clinical evidence from literature, philosophy, and the social sciences to gain additional insight into the persistent features of the self. Finally, he outlines some unique characteristics of the human self in light of new insights from modern evolutionary biology.
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