Reconstructing the minimal self, or how to make sense of agency and ownership

The sense of ownership (SO) and the sense of agency (SA) are not separate experiences of the minimal self but are intimately related and modulate each other. A careful examination of examples used to argue for their separability shows they are intertwined. The authors propose distinguishing different notions of SO and SA that are currently used interchangeably, suggesting a gradual reading that allows for various blends. This approach offers a richer phenomenology and a more parsimonious view of the minimal self.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We challenge Gallagher’s distinction between the sense of ownership (SO) and the sense of agency (SA) as two separable modalities of experience of the minimal self and argue that a careful investigation of the examples provided to promote this distinction in fact reveals that SO and SA are intimately related and modulate each other. We propose a way to differentiate between the various notions of SO and SA that are currently used interchangeably in the debate, and suggest a more gradual reading of the two that allows for various blends of SO and SA. Such an approach not only provides us with a richer phenomenology but also with a more parsimonious view of the minimal self.