Thought insertion and disturbed for-me-ness (minimal selfhood) in schizophrenia.
Mads Gram Henriksen, Josef Parnas, Dan Zahavi
Consciousness and cognition September 1, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2019.102770 via PubMed
Summary
The study argues that thought insertion does not lack for-me-ness, which is the first-person quality of experiences, but rather involves a disturbed sense of for-me-ness. It addresses methodological and psychopathological issues in previous discussions and provides a new perspective on how for-me-ness is affected in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. This challenges claims that thought insertion exemplifies a lack of minimal selfhood in consciousness.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | Thought insertion involves a disturbed for-me-ness rather than a complete absence of it. |
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Abstract
In contemporary consciousness research, we have defended a position of experiential minimalism, arguing that for-me-ness (or minimal selfhood) is a necessary, universal feature of phenomenal consciousness. The concept of for-me-ness refers to the fact that experiences are given first-personally to the subject of experience. To challenge the universality of for-me-ness, several authors have referred to the case of thought insertion as a clear counter example. In this study, we address and refute the claim that episodes of thought insertion represent examples of experiences lacking for-me-ness. We highlight certain unaddressed methodological and psychopathological problems that tend to hamper philosophical discussions of thought insertion. Although thought insertion does not involve a lack of for-me-ness, we do argue that thought insertion involves a disturbed for-me-ness. Finally, we offer a novel account of how for-me-ness is disturbed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and we discuss how a disturbed for-me-ness may be involved in the formation of thought insertion.