Brain and self – a neurophilosophical account

The self or subject of experience has been a philosophical concept, later adopted by psychoanalysis as the ego, and is now investigated through brain imaging. This article discusses philosophical concepts of self, complements them with neuroscientific data on self and self-reference, and directly compares both accounts while highlighting their relevance for psychoanalysis of self and ego.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We have experience and are conscious of the world. Who though is conscious? This is the subject or self of experience. While in the past the concept of self has been matter of philosophical discussion, psychoanalysis shifted it into the domain of psychology where it surfaced as ego. More recently, brain imaging allows to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying our subjective experience of a self. The article focuses on discussing different concepts of self as based on the philosophical accounts. These are then complemented by neuroscientific data on self and self-reference. Finally both philosophical and neuroscientific accounts are directly compared with each other while at the same time their relevance for psychoanalysis of self and ego are pointed out.