The self as avatar: an active inference account of ego dissolution

The self is best understood as a 'centre of interoceptive gravity'—a locus of bodily and affective experience that is later interpreted and communicated through narrative. This idea, building on Daniel Dennett's concept of a 'centre of narrative gravity', explains the normal sense of a persistent, unified self and the altered self-awareness during psychedelic experiences. The self-model, or 'avatar', is implemented by neural circuitry that integrates bodily, affective, and narrative processes to optimize organismic function. The feeling of unity and persistence emerges from this circuitry, while the narrative 'I' reports but does not create this feeling, which provides a locus of control and concern.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Abstract Daniel Dennett famously argued that the self is a ‘centre of narrative gravity’. In fact, the self is best thought of as a centre of interoceptive gravity whose homeostatic and affective experiences are subsequently interpreted and communicated in a narrative. This idea explains feelings of persistence and unity in the normal case and changed nature of self-awareness in psychedelic experience. It also fits the neurocomputational evidence about the nature of ego dissolution. The ‘avatar’ or self-model represents this centre of gravity. It is implemented by a self-maintaining pattern of activity in circuitry that integrates and coordinates bodily, affective, and narrative/conceptual processes to optimize organismic function. The feeling of unity and persistence emerges from activity in this circuitry. The narrative ‘I’ reports but does not create this feeling which provides a locus of control and concern.