The symphony of consciousness and the minimal experience of self
Philosophy and the Mind Sciences February 11, 2026 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.33735/phimisci.2025.11830
Summary
A new form of structuralism emphasizes how the parts of conscious states interact, likening it to a symphony where changes affect the whole. This approach is applied to the 'minimal experience of self', which includes feelings of agency, privacy, and 'me-ness'. These components can be dissociated in various combinations, and this analysis is backed by empirical and clinical examples.
Study at a glance
| Key finding | The components of the minimal experience of self—agency, privacy, and me-ness—can be dissociated in all possible combinations. |
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Abstract
We describe a form of structuralism that focuses on the mereological parts of conscious states, drawing on the metaphor of a symphony where the removal or alteration of any contributor affects the whole in a holistic but determinate way. This variational method is applied to what we call the "minimal experience of self", a composite encompassing (1) a feeling of agency, (2) a feeling of privacy, and (3) a feeling of “me-ness”, each of which partially fuses with our internal thoughts and our bodily sense. We support this view by showing how (1)-(3) can be dissociated in all possible combinations, supporting our analysis with empirical and clinical cases.