Single Idea 5353

[catalogued under 16. Persons / E. Rejecting the Self / 3. Narrative Self]

Full Idea

The self is an abstraction from the story of a person's life that isolates and magnifies the experiences, traits and aspirations that are assigned importance.

Gist of Idea

The self is an abstraction which magnifies important aspects of autobiography

Source

Owen Flanagan (The Problem of the Soul [2002], p.240)

Book Reference

Flanagan,Owen: 'The Problem of the Soul' [Basic Books 2003], p.240


A Reaction

Personally I am inclined to see personal identity as the central controller of brain activity, the aspect of the biological machine which keeps all the mental events focused on what matters, which is health, safety and happiness.