Exploring the Nature of Human Identity Across Science, Philosophy and Spirituality

Key Takeaways:

• The self is debated in philosophy as the seat of agency vs an illusion. Mysticism sees it as eternal consciousness.

• Psychology describes developmental and functional roles. Neuroscience correlates self processes to brain systems.

• The self emerges from neural computation but is not just inputs/outputs. It enables identity, will, experience.

• Core principles like subjective unity match ancient wisdom and modern findings. Consilience is emerging.

• Understanding the self transforms our comprehension of being, ethics, purpose. Beyond dogmas, an integrated worldview arises.

The mystery of the self has captivated humanity across millennia, spurring ongoing philosophical reflection, spiritual seeking, psychological theorizing, and scientific analysis to comprehend our subjective identity. From ancient shamans to postmodern scientists, a multiplicity of lenses have been developed to elucidate the nature of consciousness and our sense of “I” within the cosmos. Now in our era, an integrated perspective is emerging that weaves together the diverse threads of knowledge into a nuanced contemporary understanding – a new spirit science of the integrated self.

By examining the self through diverse disciplines and paradigms, recurring themes and principles emerge which reveal the essential characteristics of our being. The perennial wisdom of contemplative traditions maintained that a transcendent field of undifferentiated awareness underlies the manifest world, which can be realized when superficial ego-identity is transcended.

Yet subjective selfhood also confers uniqueness, moral worth and creative volition to each personal perspective. Drawing from philosophy, neuroscience, quantum physics, and psychology, a unified model proposes that neural complexity gives rise to an informational self that provides a distinct point of view while resonating with universal consciousness.

Evidence suggests the self exhibits persistence, volition, and causal efficacy through neurocognitive mechanisms which construct our sense of identity, integrate information into a unified experience, and support metacognitive abilities like introspection. While partly ineffable, spiritual realization of transpersonal being finds correlation with observable neurophysiological markers of meditation. By bridging intuitive insights and empirical findings, the multifaceted nature of the self comes into focus through an integral spirit science approach.

This integrated understanding frames the self as interdependently grounded in cosmic existential structures while also localized as a unique individual locus of experience. The personal self co-arises with universal consciousness. Across traditions and disciplines, the diverse views offline self profoundly agree that discovering one’s innermost essence leads toward actualization of human potential in alignment with the whole.

By synthesizing the full spectrum of knowledge regarding our identity, the great mystery of being reveals its hidden fullness. The integrated self encompasses all that we are.

The nature of consciousness and the existence of an intrinsic self has been extensively debated for centuries in both science and philosophy. The central question is: Do we really have a distinct, unified self, or is our sense of self just an illusion created by the brain? This issue has resurfaced in modern times with advances in neuroscience and artificial intelligence (Smith, 2021).

The main philosophical positions have been dualism, which argues that the self is real, versus reductionism, which claims the self is an illusion reducible to physical brain processes. A synthesis of these perspectives is now emerging based on new theories and empirical research.

This acknowledges the self as real but sees it as an informational entity created by neural processes, not a separate metaphysical substance. The implications are profound for understanding human experience.

Descartes and the Reality of Self

The first formal argument for the self's existence came from the philosopher René Descartes in the 17th century. His famous saying "I think, therefore I am" anchored the reality of the self in the act of thinking (Descartes, 1637/1993). Descartes posited that the conscious mind controls the physical body via intentional thought, constituting dualism between mental and physical substances. This aligned with religious concepts of the soul.

Critics argued that Cartesian dualism did not fit with mechanistic causality or the deterministic universe emerging in science. If thoughts and actions are predetermined by physical causes, where is room for an independent self? (Churchland, 2013). This seed of skepticism grew over the centuries as the brain became viewed as a biological machine.

The Self as Illusion In the modern era, reductionism, eliminativism and illusionism have argued that conscious experience and sense of self can be reduced wholly to physical brain processes (Frankish, 2016). Pioneers like Hume emphasized that there is no evidence for a core self organizing transient experiences (Hume, 1739/2018). Neuroscientists now argue the self is an illusion and posit that neural networks generate our experience without any central overseer (Hood, 2012).

Some Eastern philosophies also embrace the "nonself" view, seeing it as promoting compassion. If there is no self in control, blame becomes meaningless (Olendzki, 2016). Critics counter that this perspective implies an ethically problematic deterministic world without free will or moral responsibility (Baer, 2017).

• While the nonself view rightly critiques identification with a separate, permanent ego entity, it risks tending toward nihilism in fully denying any basis for coherent identity and agency. An integrated perspective allows for a functional self emerging from neural information processing.

• The illusionist perspective argues that deterministic causality in the brain disproves an intrinsic self. However, top-down control systems in the brain confer some degree of autonomy. And quantum physics reveals fundamentality of consciousness.

• Neuroscience localization of self-functions to brain areas like cortical midline structures challenges the notion that the self is wholly illusory. Specific neural correlates imply a real neurocognitive basis for identity.

A Synthesis: The Self as Informational Entity

However, an integrated perspective is now emerging that synthesizes these seeming opposites. New theories of consciousness hold that the self is real but arises from neural processes related to self-modeling, introspection and cognitive control (Gallagher & Daly, 2018). The self is not an ethereal soul but an informational entity created by brain dynamics. Modern neuroscience provides extensive empirical support for this view.

Theorists argue the self emerges in systems that can represent and reflect upon themselves, creating a feedback loop (Hofstadter, 1979). Brain imaging studies reveal that regions like the cortical midline structures and default mode network activate during self-related cognition (Qin & Northoff, 2011). These areas exhibit increased activity during introspection, self-awareness, autobiographical memory, future prospection and other self-focused tasks.

The cortical midline structures and default mode network constitute an anatomical and functional system supporting the emergence of the experiential self through continual information integration about one's body, thoughts and personal history (Carhart-Harris & Friston, 2019). The self arises from these neural processes but takes on a reality of its own, with causal efficacy.

Implications of the Self Acknowledging the existence of a functional self grounded in neuroscience has profound implications. The self is crucial for healthy human experiences and society (Leary & Tangney 2003). A coherent sense of self provides:

• Meaning, purpose and motivation by supporting goal setting and value-based choices.

• Responsibility, morality and conscience by allowing introspection and control.

• Social connection through understanding of others as fellow selves.

• Identity, willpower and resilience by maintaining self-knowledge and agency.

• Rationality and wisdom by enabling higher reflection and logic about life.

Loss of coherent selfhood due to trauma or disorders creates intensely disrupted experiences including dissociation and psychosis (Kircher & David, 2003). The integrative self also allows comprehension of reality beyond solipsistic experience. In summary, while the self does not seem to exist as a separate metaphysical entity, evidence suggests it is a very real and profoundly important manifestation of human consciousness.

Philosophical Perspectives on the Self

The philosophical history of the self in the West spans thousands of years from ancient Greece through modern times. While perspectives have evolved dramatically, the core focus on subjective experience has remained central.

Ancient Conceptions of Selfhood

In ancient Greek philosophy, Plato and Aristotle established foundational dichotomies between the mortal physical body and an immaterial psyche or soul as the seat of reason, intellect, and agency (Plato, 380 BCE/1991; Aristotle, 340 BCE/2016). The Platonic tradition asserted the self reflects universal truths and ideal forms, while Aristotelian notions emphasized empirical experience shaping the individual.

As Plato stated: "The soul takes nothing with her to the next world but her education and training."

Plotinus later built upon Platonic notions of the eternal soul emanating from the Divine realm to animate worldly existence (Plotinus 205/2017).

Judeo-Christian Traditions

Judeo-Christian philosophies argued the soul derives from God, bearing intrinsic moral worth and purpose in seeking unity with the divine. Augustine asserted the soul reflects the Trinity and drives spiritual transcendence (Augustine 397-398/2008).

Augustine wrote: "Do not wander far and wide but return into yourself. Deep within man there dwells the truth."

The Cartesian Revolution

The Cartesian revolution in the 17th century planted the self firmly in conscious thought and reason with the maxim "I think therefore I am." (Descartes, 1641/1993). Descartes proposed a fundamental dualism between mental and physical substances, aligning with religious concepts of an ethereal soul independent of body.

Empiricist Critiques

In response, 18th century empiricist philosophers like Hume critiqued the illusion of a persistent self, instead arguing identity constitutes merely a bundle of fleeting perceptions without intrinsic unity (Hume, 1739/2018). The mind was recast as emerging wholly from sensory impressions.

As Hume wrote: "When I enter most intimately into what I call myself, I always stumble on some particular perception or other, of heat or cold, light or shade, love or hatred, pain or pleasure. I never can catch myself at any time without a perception."

Kant's Synthetic Unity

Kant strategically synthesized rationalist and empiricist accounts in the 18th century by asserting that while objective knowledge derives from experience, subjective mental faculties structure and interpret perceptions, underscoring the active role of the knowing self (Kant, 1781/1999).

Hegel's Dialectical Self

Hegel in the 19th century put forth a dialectical concept of the self arising through intersubjective recognition of oneself in others. The self is formed socially and historically as well as individually (Hegel, 1807/1977).

Hegel wrote: "Self-consciousness exists in and for itself when, and by the fact that, it so exists for another; that is, it exists only in being acknowledged."

Postmodern Perspectives

The postmodern turn in the 20th century shifted focus toward linguistic construction, social discourse, power relations, and rejected notions of essences and foundations. Thinkers like Foucault analyzed the dispersed multifaceted workings of identity and knowledge across cultures (Foucault, 1984).

Phenomenological Return to Experience

Phenomenology in the 20th century returned to the primacy of direct lived experience as the basis for meaning and being-in-the-world. Existential perspectives grappled with authenticity and responsibility in forging one's self (Heidegger, 1927/1996)

Key unifying themes include:

• The centrality of subjective experience as the arena for consciousness and agency.

• Debates over dualism between mental and physical aspects of being.

• The relationship between universals and particulars in identity formation.

• The balance of individual autonomy, social embeddedness and cultural discourses in self-construction.

• The irreducibility of first-person conscious perspective to purely objective measurement.

The self remains a pivotal construct across philosophical theorizing.

World Mysticism and the Transcendent Self

While Western philosophy reflects more individualistic concepts of selfhood, Eastern traditions propose a radically different view based on nondual realization of one’s deeper nature. Mystics describe the Self with a capital S to denote the universal witness observing all mental phenomena:

• Hindu texts speak of Atman, the eternal pure consciousness residing in all beings, identical to Brahman – the unified ground of existence (Mandukya Upanishad, 700 BCE/1994; Chandogya Upanishad, 800 BCE/2012).

• Buddhist schools differentiate conventional selfhood (small self) from the primordial ever-present nondual awareness devoid of ego (big Self) experienced in nirvana (Suzuki, 1970; Rahula, 1974).

• Taoism describes innate human nature (Te) as identical with the subtle essence (Tao) of the universe, realized by emptying rather than asserting the self (Lao Tzu, 400 BCE/2006).

• Sufi mystics seek fana, the dissolving of egoic identity into God through spiritual practice, bringing divine knowledge and love (Chittick, 1989).

• Christian mystics regard the soul’s union with God in the self's innermost depths as deification, the full actualization of being (Underhill, 1911/1995).

Across traditions, transcendence of the limited ego is said to reveal one’s fundamental nature – the changeless witness consciousness invariantly recognizing awareness itself. This transpersonal perspective lies beyond cultural conditioning.

Shankara, the revered Hindu philosopher, used the metaphor of rope and snake to illustrate the Self. In twilight, a rope may be mistakenly perceived as a snake, causing fear. But upon realizing it is just a rope, fear vanishes. He explains: "The illusion of snake is at no time separate from the rope, nor is the perception of the rope separate from the non-perception of the snake... Find your true Self in order to be free of fear and sorrow caused by illusion" (Shankara 788/1985, p. 112). Seeing through illusion reveals the unity of subject and object in the divine Self.

"Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart" - Carl Jung

Perennial philosophy, the study of universal truths recurring across traditions, regards realization of the true Self as the apex of human development – the goal toward which all personal growth leads (Huxley, 1945/2009). While terms differ, essence is shared. Discovering one’s intrinsic identity beneath transient mental states leads to enlightenment, the actualization of full human potential aligned with higher purpose.

Psychology's Empirical Models of the Self

In contrast to religious and mystical notions, psychology aimed to frame the self in naturalistic empirical terms, investigating its development and functions through scientific study. Different schools of thought emerged:

Psychoanalysis and the Unconscious Psychoanalysis conceived of the self emerging from unconscious drives, instincts, and developmental conflicts between ego, id, and superego structures (Freud, 1923/1961). This acknowledged non-rational influences shaping identity and experience.

Behaviorism - Rejecting Inner Mentation

In contrast, behaviorism explicitly rejected internal subjective phenomena like thoughts and feelings as epiphenomenal. It reduced the self to behavioral responses shaped by external reinforcement without internal agency (Skinner, 1971). This aligned with mechanical materialism.

Humanism - Actualizing Inner Potential

Humanistic psychology offered a dissenting perspective, emphasizing conscious self-actualization driven by inherent developmental growth tendencies (Maslow, 1962). This resonated with ancient wisdom of realizing one's highest capabilities.

By the 1970s-1980s, integrative models incorporated multiple angles:

• Cognitive psychology explained self-awareness emerging from schema, prototypes and knowledge representations stored in memory (Markus, 1977).

• Neuropsychology localized ego functions to the frontal executive system responsible for integrative processing (Fuster, 2014).

• Personality psychology examined dispositional trait patterns and identity narratives cultivated over time (McAdams, 1996).

Contemporary Holistic Understanding

Current psychology sees the self as multidimensional – composed of interdependent biological, psychological and social systems, serving adaptive functions essential for coherence and wellbeing (Klein & Gangi, 2010):

• The ecological self as interface between organism and environment.

• The interpersonal self building bonds through attachment and empathy.

• The temporal self providing continuity between past and future.

• The conceptual self integrating self-knowledge into identity.

In this spirit science view, the self manifests as a functional control system emerging from unconscious depths, developmental maturation, mental representations, and social discourse. This aligns with integrative philosophies acknowledging multiple valid perspectives on identity. Diverse vantage points complementarily illuminate facets of our multifaceted being.

In contrast to religious and mystical notions, psychology framed the self in naturalistic empirical terms, investigating its development and functions through scientific study.

Current theories conceptualize the self as a functional behavioral-cognitive control system coordinating mental processes to generate a persisting and unique identity. Evidence links self functions directly to structures and mechanisms in the brain.

The Neuroscience of the Self

Perhaps the greatest progress in demystifying the self comes from neuroscience research correlating aspects of identity and subjective experience to specific neural structures and dynamics.

Contemporary neuroscience grounds key attributes of selfhood in the brain:

• The core self arises in cortico-thalamic midline structures activating during self-reflection (Northoff & Panksepp, 2008).

• The material self depends on insular integration of interoceptive signals conveying physical condition (Craig, 2009).

• The narrative self involves medial prefrontal and posterior parietal regions constructing autobiographical memory (Gillihan & Farah, 2005)

• The executive self relies on top-down control by prefrontal systems enabling volition (Alvarez & Emory, 2006).

• The experiential self engages sensory cortices, limbic areas, and association cortices binding content into a scene (Damasio, 2010).

Rather than pinpointing a specific neural correlates, patterns of functional connectivity suggest the self emerges from information integration and coherent representations unifying consciousness:

• Recurrent processing via thalamo-cortical and cortico-cortical feedback loops generates an integrated inner world model upon which a stable perspective can arise (Edelman, 2004).

• Synchrony of neural oscillations across far-flung regions coordinates activity supporting continuity of identity (Knyazev, 2013).

• Convergence zones and binding mechanisms in association cortices fuse disparate content into unified conscious scenes (Damasio, 1989).

• Mnemonic coordination of past remembering with future simulation constructs an identity propagating through time (D’Argembeau et al., 2014).

In this account, the self is not any one part of the brain, but a dynamic informational organization that confers psychological unity and continuity. Recent computational models mathematically demonstrate how neural networks produce self-organization.

Integrated Information Theory proposes that consciousness corresponds to a system’s capacity for information integration, which gives rise to a subjective “virtual self” at the core of experience (Tononi, 2008). Global neuronal workspace theory states consciousness arises from widespread propagation of signals between networks, creating a virtual “observer” of integrated mental contents (Dehaene et al., 1998). Nested hierarchy models show information flows from local circuits up to high-level integration clusters simulating a core self (Carhart-Harris & Friston, 2019).

Converging empirical evidence and computational modeling indicates the self is neither illusory nor metaphysical, but a functionally coherent informational state of the brain.

Scientific Views on the Self

In contrast to ancient wisdom, modern materialist science denied any notion of a non-physical self that could exist apart from the brain. The rise of reductionism, determinism and behaviorism in the 19th-20th centuries led to dismissing first-person introspective accounts, equating mind with brain activity (Leary, 2004). Personality theories focused entirely on behavioral traits and conditioning, rejecting an intrinsic self (Skinner, 1971).

However, the current scientific paradigm is shifting to acknowledge the reality of the self as an emergent property of neural functioning. While not an immaterial soul, evidence suggests our subjective experience and sense of identity reflects neurocognitive representations and information integration in the brain, not just inputs and outputs (Carhart-Harris & Friston, 2019).

Key principles supported by modern research include:

• The self as arising from brain structures that model and integrate information to generate a first-person perspective (Qin & Northoff, 2011). This creates an inner frame of reference able to reflect on itself.

• The observing self emerges from neural patterns that produce inner visualizations, imagery and an inner screen of experience (Hoffman, 2019). This generates a vantage point of awareness.

• The self exhibits persistence and continuity as neural configurations that maintain stable representations of personality traits, memories and personal history (D'Argembeau, 2012). This creates a consistent identity over time.

• The self demonstrates causal efficacy by influencing brain dynamics and mental processes that shape perceptions, cognition and behavior (Morsella, 2005). This supports volition and willpower.

Through examining principles found across contemplative traditions, modern research lends empirical support to long-asserted spiritual truths about the reality of the inner self.

Key Areas of Alignment Between Science and Spirituality

Comparative analysis reveals profound resonance between mystical philosophies and findings from psychology, neuroscience and physics. Some key points of alignment:

Nonduality – Traditions propose a false dichotomy exists between physical and mental realities that dissolves upon inner realization of the true nature of consciousness (Yogasutras, 400 BCE/2018). Science now finds no strict causal distinction between mind and body manifestations, validating this (Hameroff, 1998).

Transcendence – Meditation practices use introspective focus to transcend ego identity and experience the fundamental self-awareness underlying thoughts (Klemenc-Ketis, 2011). This matches neuroscience findings that the default mode network associated with ego identity deactivates during meditation while awareness networks activate (Brewer, 2011).

Non-locality – Mystics emphasize that consciousness is not confined to the body or brain but is inherent to the fabric of reality (Tarnas, 1991). Physics reveals quantum entanglement and nonlocality in atomic particles, indicating universal connectivity (Radin, 2018).

Intuition - Traditions extensively develop inner ways of knowing that provide valid knowledge about the world beyond logic. Scientific evidence substantiates intuitive perception as a real means of accessing accurate information (Mishlove, 2017).

While differences remain between subjective mystical philosophies aimed at self-realization versus objective third-person science focused on prediction and control, mutual understanding continues progressing. Consilience across realms unifies human knowledge toward grasping our place within the cosmic whole.

Timeline of the Self: Ancient Concepts to Modern Understanding

Throughout human history, the nature of the self has been contemplated across spiritual traditions, philosophical reflections, artistic expressions, and scientific analysis. From ancient shamans to postmodern thinkers, the mystery of conscious identity has captivated humanity. Core questions recur: Who am I? What is my purpose? How does the mind relate to the world?

Across eras, contemplative practices, religious beliefs, metaphysical theories, and psychological models have provided diverse lenses for making sense of our subjective experience. As worldviews evolved with cultural developments, so too did notions of selfhood. By integrating the multiplicity of perspectives that emerge, we can work toward a more nuanced understanding of our essence. This timeline traces the trajectory of ideas about the self alongside major innovations in human knowledge.

6000 BCE - Earliest evidence of abstract symbols and proto-writing describing religious narratives of soul, afterlife, gods. Earliest monuments and megalithic architecture built.

3000 BCE - Vedas composed in India, containing foundations of Hindu philosophy. Introduce concepts of Atman, Brahman, karma, samsara. Invention of cursive writing in Sumer.

800 BCE - Upanishads further developEastern philosophy of self-realization of Atman. Rise of mystical contemplative practices. First use of iron tools and weapons.

700 BCE - Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu describes Taoist philosophy of harmonizing with the universe and true nature. Book of Changes outlines Yin-Yang dialectic.

600 BCE - Babylonian Talmud compiles ancient oral Torah traditions and jurisprudence. Describe Hebrew concepts of the soul. Early forms of monotheism develop.

400 BCE - Plato's Republic describes his metaphysical theory of ideal forms and the tripartite soul: reason, spirit, appetite. Greek philosophy develops ideas of psyche. Water wheel first used.

280 BCE - Early Traditional Chinese Medicine manuscript the Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor theorizes the self as a microcosm of holistic, energetic systems.

0 - Rise of Christianity continues ideas of soul but adds concept of personal relationship with divine. Christ as incarnation embodies the ideal self. Roman Empire at peak.

200 - Neo-Platonist philosopher Plotinus expands ideas of universal soul emanating from the One source. Influences mysticism in Greek and Middle East. Maya civilization flourishes.

400 - St Augustine develops theology of soul seeking unity with God. Confessions reflects extensively on inner experience. Bookmaking spreading in Europe.

570-632 - Islamic prophet Muhammad receives divine revelations compiled as Quran. Describes soul's journey and judgment before God. Islamic empire expands.

700 - Tantric Buddhism develops esoteric practices seeking nondual awareness. Vajrayana texts describe ultimate and relative states of self. Woodblock printing invented in China.

780 - Adi Shankara formalizes Advaita Vedanta philosophy of spiritual nondual self beyond ego. Mathematical zero introduced to Europe by Arabs.

1000- Aulodia empire thrives in Africa. Yoruba culture begins describing concepts of inner divinity and spiritual consciousness.

1150 - Ibn Tufail's philosophical novel Hayy Ibn Yaqdhan explores stages of self development through reason and contemplation. Water-powered mills spread.

1200 - Sufi poet Rumi's writings explore annihilation of ego and seeking divine love. Gothic architecture arises in Europe.

1273 - Philosopher Thomas Aquinas integrates Aristotle's philosophy with Christian theology. Self develops through actualizing potentialities. Mongol empire largest land empire.

1439 - Invention of printing press enables mass production of texts allowing wider dissemination of ideas.

1492 - Spanish colonization leads to cultural conquest of Americas. Native philosophies suppressed by Christianity.

1543 - Copernicus' heliocentric model overturns anthropocentric worldview showing Earth revolves around the Sun, not vice versa.

1637 - Rene Descartes introduces dualism of mind and body with his maxim "I think therefore I am." Mechanical clock invented.

1689 - John Locke defines self as continuity of consciousness based on memory. Argues self as tabula rasa shaped by experience.

1739 - David Hume argues the illusion of a persistent self identity. Self is just a bundle of perceptions. Experiments with electricity advance understanding.

1781 - Kant proposes transcendental unity of apperception as ground of comprehension. Critiques claims that self can be an object of knowledge.

1807 - Hegel describes dialectical formation of self-consciousness through recognizing other. Coal-fueled machines drive industrialization.

1859 - Darwin's evolution theory proposes adaptive functions of human cognition and behavior. Challenges religious beliefs about special creation of man.

1867 - Max Weber founds sociology and theories of social construction of self through roles and norms. Dynamite invented by Alfred Nobel.

1890 - William James publishes Principles of Psychology examining stream of consciousness and sense of personal identity.

1895 - Invention of x-ray imaging enables visualization of inner body structures. Radio discovered.

1900 - Sigmund Freud introduces psychoanalytic theory seeing unconscious drives as determining development and personality. Rapid technological progress begins.

1905 - Albert Einstein proposes theory of relativity revolutionizing understandings of space, time and gravity. Implications for consciousness explored.

1920s - Existentialist movement such as Martin Heidegger discusses authenticity of self. Television invented along with other consumer tech.

1950 - Publication of works by Ludwig Wittgenstein, Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida develop postmodernism and challenge idea of essential self. DNA structure discovered.

1960s - Humanistic psychology emphasizes self-actualization. Eastern spiritual ideas spread to West and new age movement. Space exploration intensifies.

1970s - Cognitive science emerges, applying information processing models to the mind. FMRI enables imaging brain function.

1980s - Computational theory of mind proposes self as neural information processing. Personal computing proliferates.

1990s - Dialogical self theories see identity as dynamic, narrated, socially-constructed. Internet connects global humanity.

2000s - Integrative neuroscience frameworks explain self via brain's neurointegrative architecture. AI and robotics advance. CRISPR gene editing developed.

2020s - Theories of embodied, enactive self explore how cognition emerges through acting in the world.

Throughout time, diverse views of the self have emerged, debated, and evolved. While perspectives differ, common themes recur of seeking greater self-understanding and actualizing human potential. Holistic integration of multiple angles allows nuanced insight. Subjective experiential frameworks highlight first-person lived reality and transcendent states beyond ego.

Philosophical models excavate the structures of inner experience and relation to the world. Psychological theories reveal functional roles in cognition, development, and behavior. Neuroscience grounds identity in the brain while exposing its complexity. Cosmological visions situate consciousness interconnected with universal forces. Across eras, contemplative practices fine-tune faculties like meta-awareness, insight, and inner vision to deepen self-realization. Creative expressions explore the landscape of identity and existence.

This plurality of modes for self-inquiry parallels the multi-dimensional nature of human consciousness. Just as light exhibits complementary wave-particle duality, the self manifests both unity and diversity. We each inhabit a nexus of perspectives - biological but also transcendent, individual yet universal, transient but continuous. By honoring the full spectrum of inner dimensions revealed across time, integrative understanding unfolds. Ongoing exploration of consciousness through both subjective and objective investigation promises exciting discoveries ahead.

As the physicist-philosopher Erwin Schrödinger concluded:

“To divide or multiply consciousness is something meaningless. In all the world, there is no kind of framework within which we can find consciousness in the plural; this is simply something we construct because of the spatio-temporal plurality of individuals, but it is a false construction.... In truth, there is only one mind.”

Emerging Theories Explaining the Self

While the existence of an intrinsic self has been debated, new theories of consciousness are reviving the idea through a modern scientific lens. Three of the most evidence-based models proposing explanations for the emergence of selfhood are Global Workspace Theory, Integrated Information Theory, and the Inner Screen Hypothesis.

Global Workspace Theory

Proposed by psychologist Bernard Baars in the 1980s, Global Workspace Theory analogizes consciousness to a theater, an idea originating with Descartes (Baars, 1997). The stage represents a global workspace in the brain that integrates and disseminates information. The theater seating represents independent unconscious processors. When a memory or perception becomes dominant, it takes center stage, broadcasting widely to all the unconscious processors to generate a unified scene.

Evidence suggests the global workspace resides in the prefrontal parietal network, centered on dense reciprocal connections between the thalamus, anterior cingulate, and prefrontal cortex (Dehaene & Changeux, 2011). This allows long-distance broadcasting of signals across the brain, facilitating complex cognition. Through this ongoing narration, the global workspace crafts a sense of self as an internal agent having experiences.

This account aligns with findings that the prefrontal parietal network activates during demanding cognitive tasks while the default mode network associated with self-related cognition activates during rest (Fox et al., 2005). The global workspace thus serves executive function while introspective networks construct self-awareness.

Integrated Information Theory

Proposed by neuroscientist Giulio Tononi, Integrated Information Theory argues that consciousness emerges from the ability of any complex system to integrate information (Tononi, 2008). The quantity of consciousness corresponds to the amount of integrated information generated by the system, known as phi. Evidence comes from studies showing integrated information increases during conscious states but decreases during dreamless sleep or general anesthesia (Alkire et al., 2008).

Integrated Information Theory accounts for key features of the conscious self. The integration of information creates a singular, coherent scene rather than independent fragments. Informational independence between subsystems allows for a distributed system with specialized processors similar to the brain. And intrinsic causality emerges from self-generation of information rather than merely reflecting external inputs.

This model equates degree of consciousness with capacity for information integration. The greater the integration, the more robust the consciousness. Human brains generate the highest phi of any known system, producing a strong sense of selfhood.

• The prefrontal-parietal network identified as the global workspace also activates during self-referential processing, suggesting overlap between executive control and identity construction.

• Binding of information across cortical regions to generate a unified scene aligns with spiritual notions of achieving unity consciousness by transcending separative ego-identity.

• Global broadcasting creates a common informational space for experience, resonating with the unified ground of being described by perennial philosophy.

Inner Screen Hypothesis

Proposed by physicist Rudy Hoffman, the Inner Screen Hypothesis argues that the visual field functions as a projector displaying subjective experiential states generated by the brain (Hoffman, 2008). This inner screen constitutes the theater of the mind postulated since Descartes and Boyle, updated to reflect modern optics.

Neural mappings reveal circuits connecting retinal input to visual cortices that perfectly recreate the visual field with retinotopic precision (Wandell & Winawer, 2015). Additionally, visual percepts persist even in blindness or without external stimuli, indicating internal generation. Evidence suggests the precuneus generates these top-down visualizations displayed on the inner screen (Fracasso et al., 2018).

The contents of this inner screen include imagery, hallucinations, dreams, visions and the perceptual world itself. The hypothesis asserts this screen serves as an interface portraying an internal perspective to a point of view maintained by the self. The contents constantly shift but the screen provides a platform for subjective experience.

• Studies of psychedelics reveal increased information integration in the brain, correlating with subjective feelings of ego dissolution and interconnectedness.

• The proposed link between degree of consciousness and information integration resonates with Vedic principles that existence is comprised of varying densities of consciousness.

• Considered across scale, integrated information theory suggests forms of awareness may exist even at the level of physical forces if informational integration is present.

Implications

These theories converge on explaining consciousness and the self as emerging from integration of information and neural representations. Binding distributed neural processors into a unified experience creates an informational entity that provides a point of view with causal efficacy and agency, which we call the self. Decades of empirical research support this account, moving toward resolution of the self's existence and nature.

Quantum and Cosmological Visions

In addition to inner empirical exploration, new paradigms in physics provide outer perspectives on the self in relation to the cosmos. These worldviews transcend both scientific materialism and religious dogma and bridge science and spirituality.

Panpsychism - Consciousness Inherent in Matter

Panpsychism attributes mind or consciousness as a fundamental property of all matter, an intrinsic attribute of the universe from elementary particles to macroscopic objects and physical forces (Skrbina, 2005). This suggests all reality has inner subjective experience.

Cosmopsychism - Consciousness Encoded in Spacetime

Cosmopsychism localizes mind not to particles but the unified spacetime network of the cosmos itself, with the self as a focal point (Matloff, 2019). Consciousness is an intrinsic property of the universe's structure.

Information Integration Across Scale

Integrated Information Theory defines consciousness as virtual information states that can theoretically exist at all scales depending on organizational complexity, including as a property of the universe itself (Tononi, 2014).

Anthropic Teleology - Mind Embedded in Cosmic Design

Anthropic cosmological principles state that fundamental physical constants seem improbably fine-tuned to allow conscious life to emerge, implying mind is embedded in the intentional design of the cosmos (Barrow & Tipler, 1988).

Synchronicity and Holographic Order

Synchronicity principles like implicate order theory propose meaningful correlations between inner states and outer events, resonating with Carl Jung’s model of the psychoid unconscious (Combs & Holland, 1996).

Holographic models similarly suggest information about the whole cosmos exists fractally reflected at all scales, enabling synchronistic micro-macro resonance (Talbot, 1991).

Key Implications:

• Matter and mind are complementary expressions of a fundamental holistic reality.

• Subjective selfhood reflects universal consciousness instantiated locally.

• Inner worlds resonate with external worlds through implicit order.

• Human consciousness participates within cosmic purpose and design.

Synthesis: The Integrated Self

Far from definitive conclusion, an integrative understanding of the self continues unfolding through ongoing interdisciplinary inquiry and introspective exploration. However, comparative analysis reveals significant resonance between spiritual philosophies and scientific findings. Core principles of the self asserted for millennia have basis in contemporary research.

Contemplative traditions maintained the self is:

• Ontologically real not illusory – supported by neuroscience locating correlates of self-functions in brain systems.

• Representational yet nonmaterial – validated by computational models of virtual informational self emerging in neural networks.

• Fundamentally conscious – evidenced by neuroimaging of conscious awareness during self-reflection.

• Phenomenally subjective – explained by limits of third-person measurement unable to fully convey first-person experience.

• Volitionally causal – demonstrated through neural control systems enabling deliberate action.

• Continuously persistent – machine learning models mimic unbroken identity by processing memories.

• Adaptively evolved – fitting evolutionary accounts of increasing self-regulatory capacities conferring advantages.

While substantial mystery remains regarding the hard problem of subjective experience, evidence indicates the self is neither supernatural nor epiphenomenal, but a functionally integrated neurocognitive representation system generating personal identity, volition, and coherent experience. This view transcends classic Cartesian dualism splitting mind and body. The self profoundly reflects yet also regulates and organizes material brain dynamics, enacting causal efficacy.

By reconciling spiritual notions of a transcendent witness consciousness observing mental phenomena with computational neuroscience models of a core information integration cluster unifying globally distributed neural representations into a singular point of view, we can infer the self is best conceived as the emergent product of neurocognitive complexity, yet also closely associated with primordial awareness intrinsic to existence. God, cosmic consciousness and true Self may be understood as universal source, not opposed to but fully immanent in each locally emergent instance of identity.

Cross-cultural integration of philosophy, science and spirituality leads to understanding the self as both fundamentally unified with all consciousness yet also uniquely individualized – simultaneously impersonal and personal, eternal and mortal. Beyond extremes, synthesis reveals consilient insight reflecting full spectrum knowledge of multidimensional inner and outer realities.

Key Insights on the Integrated Self

The Reality of Subjectivity

Philosophy established the self as the seat of subjective experience, agency and unified consciousness manifest through faculties like reason, will and introspection (Kant, 1781/1999). This first-person inner perspective could not be reduced to mere input-output functions.

While behaviorism rejected internal mentation as epiphenomenal, cognitive science recognized that even simplistic goal-directed behavior requires an organizing agent applying rules and knowledge representations. Computational modeling now demonstrates how neural mechanisms perform the complex integrative processing needed to construct a first-person point of view (Dehaene et al., 1998).

For instance, global neuronal workspace theory proposes that consciousness emerges from widespread reciprocal signaling between cortical regions that creates a virtual observer of mental contents. Empirical findings confirm that the prefrontal parietal network facilitates such long-distance broadcasting of information. So while subjective phenomena cannot be measured directly, neurological and information processing models validate inner experience as an emergent property of neural dynamics rather than phantom illusion.

• Philosophy established subjectivity, agency and unified consciousness as primary attributes of selfhood manifest in reason, will and introspection.

• Despite behaviorism, the self proved irreducible to inputs and outputs, necessitating cognitive explanations.

• Computational neuroscience now models the neural mechanisms generating first-person inner experience.

The Self as Informational Organization

Integrative neuroscience frameworks explain selfhood not as localized in any single brain region, but arising dynamically from processes that coordinate sensations, memories, thoughts and goals into a coherent whole. The synchronous binding of disparate neural activity via convergence zones (Damasio, 1989), phase synchrony (Varela et al., 2001) and recursive signaling along thalamo-cortical pathways (Edelman, 1993) enables unification of consciousness rather than fragmented representations experienced as a first-person perspective.

Global neuronal workspace theory proposes that reciprocal propagation of signals across distributed modules creates a core self-representation upon which a singular point of view can be maintained (Dehaene & Naccache, 2001). Computational connectomics models formally demonstrate how self-organization of information flows in the brain via hub nodes, rich clubs and core-periphery arrangements gives rise to autonomous agentive systems exhibiting persistence, adaptiveness, and goal-directed behavior akin to subjective selfhood (Gollo et al., 2015).

So empirical research now suggests the neurointegrative architecture of the brain naturally produces emergent informational dynamics that support psychological continuity, coherent narration, executive control and other properties of identity. The self arises from but also regulates material neural systems, rather than reducible to basic inputs and outputs.

• The self emerges from neurointegrative processes binding sensations, memories, goals into a coherent whole.

• Global neuronal workspace and information integration theories explain the virtual “observing self” created by neural dynamics.

• This supports an inner frame of reference, point of view, continuity and causal efficacy.

Universal Consciousness – Unique Identity

Perennial philosophy holds that a transcendent field of pure undifferentiated awareness underlies all relative manifestation (Huxley, 1945). Diverse mystical traditions describe transcending superficial egoic identity to realize one's true nature as unbounded consciousness devoid of subject-object duality (Schmidt, 2011). Yet subjective selfhood also confers uniqueness. While consciousness may be fundamentally unitary, individuals experience unique perspectives shaped by biology, development and culture.

Volition and moral worth depend on autonomy and personal responsibility. So the self manifests both unity and diversity (Wilber, 1997). The personal self interdependently co-arises with the universal Self. Computational models demonstrate how singular coherent experiences can emerge in neural networks via core information integration processes simulating a distinct point of view, even within a collectively shared substrate of being (Tononi, 2008).

Evidence of grid cells transmitting spatial data, Drive cells signaling motivational salience (Moheb et al., 2022), and Von Economo neurons facilitating social awareness reveals how personal identity arises within universal consciousness. The self is both localized and nonlocalized, unique yet cosmic.

• Perennial philosophy holds that pure undifferentiated awareness underlies all relative manifestation.

• Mysticism describes transcending superficial ego to realize one’s true nature as boundless consciousness.

• But subjective selfhood also confers uniqueness, moral worth and creative volition.

• The self is both personal and transpersonal, universal and individual.

Complementary Ways of Knowing

First-person experiential realization and third-person empirical measurement offer complementary windows into the nature of consciousness. For instance, meditation practices allow temporary transcendence of superficial ego and sensory filtering, leading to direct apprehension of undifferentiated pure awareness said to be the bedrock of existence (Klemenc-Ketis, 2011). This matches neuroimaging findings that default network and executive control regions deactivate during open awareness meditation, indicating less self-referential processing (Brewer et al., 2011).

So subjective reports of dissolving ego boundaries find correlation in increased gamma synchrony across the brain, measuring a neurophysiological indicator of unity consciousness (Lutz et al., 2004). However, ineffable qualities of inner experience evade full articulation through external descriptors. Both subjective knowledge and objective data thus contribute valid understanding. Consilience results from integrating science and spiritual wisdom with neither given uncritical priority (Wallace, 2000).

• Evidence suggests nondual spiritual states reflect observable neurophysiology.

• Yet first-person experiential data remains partially ineffable through third-person descriptors.

• Both inner realization and empirical measurement contribute valid knowledge.

• Consilience results from bridging verifiable findings with intuitive insights.

Interdependence of Inner and Outer Realms

Panpsychism attributes primal awareness to all matter, implying external reality has subjective interiority like internal mentation (Skrbina, 2005). Holographic theories likewise propose that information about the whole cosmos exists everywhere, enabling synchronistic correlations between consciousness states and external events across scale (Talbot, 1991). Integrated Information Theory defines consciousness as information integration distributed across any organizational complex, applying equally to inner mentation and universal properties (Tononi, 2008).

Such frameworks situate human identity as grounded in and resonant with cosmic existential structures, though uniquely localized as a single locus of experience within the whole. The self is both emergent in the brain yet nonlocally connected across spacetime, grounded in biology yet transcribing universal consciousness into a singular point of view navigating through the external world. Through contemplating the microcosm of the self, macrocosmic wholeness can be realized.

• Panpsychism and holographic models situate mind intrinsically in the fabric of reality.

• Synchronicity and implicate order theories reveal meaningful correlations between consciousness and world.

• The self resonates with cosmic processes while grounded in biology.

• Through the microcosm of the self, wholeness is known.

In summary, synthesizing multiple ways of understanding the self allows a more multidimensional perspective to emerge – one that integrates science and spirituality to expand knowledge of our essence and place in the cosmos. While the full nature of consciousness remains mysterious, consilience between empirical findings and intuitive insights leads to more coherent comprehension of our identity.

Conclusion

This interdisciplinary analysis aimed to illuminate the elusive nature of the self from diverse viewpoints, seeking coherence among disparate perspectives. In philosophy, the self was pondered as the seat of reason, agency and subjective experience. Mystical traditions described realization of one’s essential nature to be pure undifferentiated consciousness transcending ego. Psychology evolved from behaviorism that denied internal mentation toward computational neuroscience models demonstrating self-functions emerging from brain dynamics. Physics situated human consciousness interdependently within the fabric of the cosmos.

Synthesis reveals the self is neither illusory nor ontologically separate from physical being, but an informational construct of the brain that generates a subjective point of view, sense of identity, and capacity for introspective metacognition. This view integrates scientific evidence with principles asserted by contemplative traditions.

Complex neural representations self-organize to create a core perspective that enables intentional will, continuant memory, and unified phenomenology. While intrinsically associated with the ground of being, the self also confers individual volition and unity of experience to enact personal growth. Understanding the interdependent, multidimensional nature of our essential identity promises to transform existential philosophy and science alike.

Full Reference List Available Below

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