The symphony of consciousness and the minimal experience of self

The authors propose a structuralist account of conscious experience by examining the parts that compose the minimal sense of self. Using a variational method, they argue that the feeling of agency, the feeling of privacy, and the feeling of “me-ness” are separable components that can be dissociated in various combinations, as supported by empirical and clinical cases. Removing or altering any of these components changes the whole experience in a holistic but determinate way, much like altering an instrument in a symphony alters the overall sound.

Study at a glance

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.