A Neurophilosophical Model of Personal and Meta-Reflective Modes of Mind
Preprints.org March 5, 2026 Kyrylo Somkin preprint
Human consciousness can be understood as two functional brain states: the personal mode, which is motivationally and socially embedded, oriented toward adaptation, identity maintenance, and ego-relevant concerns, and the meta-reflective mode, where cognition turns upon itself, enabling abstraction, self-objectification, and existential evaluation. The model does not posit metaphysical dualism or strictly separable neural systems; both modes may recruit overlapping brain regions, differing in dominant functional orientation and hierarchical organization. Tensions between these modes may account for identity-based crises (emerging within the personal mode) and existential crises (from intensified meta-reflective activation). The development of civilization reflects the structural coexistence of adaptive engagement and reflective distancing. Empirical validation remains limited.