The varieties of selflessness

Some states of consciousness may lack self-consciousness entirely. The author distinguishes six common notions of self-consciousness and argues that none is necessary for consciousness, because for each there exist conscious states where it is plausibly absent. Such states are at least partially selfless. Preliminary empirical evidence suggests some conscious states may lack all six forms, making them totally selfless—lacking every way one could be self-conscious. The author addresses four objections to the possibility and reportability of such totally selfless states.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Many authors argue that conscious experience involves a sense of self or self-consciousness. According to the strongest version of this claim, there can be no selfless states of consciousness, namely states of consciousness that lack self-consciousness altogether. Disagreements about this claim are likely to remain merely verbal as long as the target notion of self-consciousness is not adequately specified. After distinguishing six notions of self-consciousness commonly discussed in the literature, I argue that none of the corresponding features is necessary for consciousness, because there are states of consciousness in which each of them is plausibly missing. Such states can be said to be at least partially selfless, since they lack at least one of the ways in which one could be self-conscious. Furthermore, I argue that there is also preliminary empirical evidence that some states of consciousness lack all of these six putative forms of self-consciousness. Such states might be totally selfless, insofar as they lack all the ways in which one could be self-conscious. I conclude by addressing four objections to the possibility and reportability of totally selfless states of consciousness.