The Narrative Self (w9 to w13)

Question 1

Define

Episodic Self-Experience

Answer 1

Over the course of the life of a human being, there exists multiple selves (a “self”), and each self is concerned only with it’s being at that present time

In contrast to a diachronic self-experience

Strawson’s theory

Question 2

Define

Diachronic Self-Experience

Answer 2

Over the course of the life of a human being, there exists one self, which honours (and is consceintious of) their past, present and future selves, with regard to their self-narrating life

Schechtman’s theory

Question 3

Define

Narrative Self-Constitution

Answer 3

Schechtman’s overarching theory of identity

Question 4

Define

Persistence Conditions

Answer 4

Criteria or necessary conditions for a person to continue seeing themselves as themselves across time (identity)

Question 5

Define

Psychological Narrativity Thesis

Answer 5

Strawson’s expansion and rebuke of Schechtman’s “Narrativity Thesis” into two parts (this being the first part)

Ordinary human beings experience their lives in narrative form

Strawson argues that this is false
Empirically inadequate, descriptively wrong
Agents (human beings) don’t see their lives with narrative structure or form

Question 6

Define

Ethical Narrativity Thesis

Answer 6

Strawson’s expansion and rebuke of Schechtman’s “Narrativity Thesis” into two parts (this being the second part)

Narrative is essential to a well-lived life, to true or full personhood

Strawson argues that this is false, pernicious and malicious
Precludes various valuable modes of self-understanding and meaning-making which are non-narrative in form

Question 7

Concept

x4 Features of Psychological Continuity

Answer 7

1. Moral Responsibility (a person is held responsible for their actions)
2. Prudential Concern (particular type of concern a person has for only their future)
3. Compensation (a person deserves rewards for the sacrifices they make)
4. Survival (a person’s basic interest in their own continued existence)

Question 8

Concept

x4 Constraints of Self-Constitutive Narratives

Answer 8

1. Linearity (story of a person’s life understood as a linear narrative)
2. Intelligibility (narrated “I” has to be a well defined character, so the person is minimially intelligible)
3. Coherence (narrative must make sense, it must be coherent)
4. Reality (must conform to what we generally understand as within the bounds of reality)

Question 9

Define

Minimal Embodied Self;
Minimal Self

Answer 9

Phenomenologically as the consciousness of onesself as an immediate subject of experience, not extended in time (in the here and now)

Brain processes within an ecologically embedded body

Sense of agency

Experienced temporally

Question 10

Define

Narrative Self

Answer 10

Philosophical concept that defines the role of narrative in defining our selfhood (identity)

The ability to organise and understand your life experience in narrative form

Self-narratives are self-refferential
1. “I” the narrator, as the narrative “I” (the protagonist)
2. Conveys a temporal order of events/experiencesestablishing a connection to them
3. Constructive and selective (my story does not need to include every detail; take into account intentions of the narrator, audiences, reach etc.)

Question 11

Important Figure

Marya Schechtman

Answer 11

Philosopher focusing on personal identity.

Particularly pertaining Narrativity.

Question 12

Important Figure

Galen Strawson

Question 13

Important Figure

Shawn Gallagher

Question 14

Define

Diachronic

Answer 14

Concerned with the way something has developed and evolved over time

With particular regard to language

Literally means “across time”

Synchronic is concerned with the way something exists at one specific point in time

Question 15

Define

Person Constituting Narrative (Person Narrative, PN)

Answer 15

Schechtman’s expanded theory in light of Strawon’s rebuke.

That a person’s past, present and future are important constitutent parts of one’s life make up a person’s understanding of themselves, however, the concerning events are not deeply connected

Long in duration

Question 16

Define

Self Constitution Narrative (Self Narrative, SN)

Answer 16

Schechtman’s expanded theory in light of Strawon’s rebuke.

That events in the “now” which constitute a deeper connection are important creating ideas of self.

Short in duration

Question 17

Define

Phenomenological Selves

Answer 17

The experience of my self (my selfhood)

Question 18

Define

Metaphysical Selves

Answer 18

The objective constituent parts of my self (what makes my self, my self)

Question 19

Define

Diachronic vs. Episodic

Answer 19

Diachronic proposes identity persisting over time, that considers the past, present and future

Episodic proposes identity as ever-new and in the moment

Question 20

Define

Person Narratives vs. Self Narratives

Answer 20

Person narratives are not so concered with depth

Self narratives are concerned with depth

Question 21

Define

Personhood

Question 22

Define

Empathetic Access

Question 23

Minimal self vs. Narrative self