Self: narrative, Non Narrative or Both?

Authors

  • Sumegha Goyal

Keywords:

Self,, Narrative,, Non-Narrative,

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to understand how we experience and represent self. I would elaborate on this by firstly, stating some of the different perspectives on self. I would then primarily locate this discussion by distinguishing two popular ways of experiencing self i.e. EPISODIC and DIACHRONIC and two accounts of self-representation i.e. NARRATIVE and NON-NARRATIVE. Next, I will present arguments explaining why philosophers have favored Narrativist account on one side, and objections raised against Narrativist by Non-Narrativist like Galen Strawson on another. Lastly, In agreement with James L. Battersby’s viewpoint in his essay, “Narrativity, Self and Self-Representation”, I will discuss the conception of self-experience that is "complicatedly diachronic and episodic, one that also puts special emphasis on the self's elusive, ungraspable, but somehow readily available nature". Thereby, I will defend the way of representation of self which can be both narrative as well as non-narrative.

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References

Zahavi, “Subjectivity and selfhood ”, pp.104-106.

The Episodic/Diachronic distinction is not the same thing as the narrative and non narrative distinction, as will emerge; but there are marked correlations between them.(Strawson, 2004: 430)

Zahavi, “Subjectivity and selfhood”, p.107

Strawson, “Against Narrativity,” pp. 441-443.

Ibid., pp. 440-441.

Ibid., p. 442.

Ibid., p. 442.

Ibid., p. 443.

Ibid., p. 443.

Ibid., p. 429.

There are four main combinations of the descriptive thesis and the normative thesis. One may think first thesis is true and second is false. Second, and contrariwise, one may think first one is false and second is true. Third, one may think both are true. Lastly, where both are false (Strawson’s position).Strawson in above quote criticise second and third view specifically.

Dennett, 1991: 418.

Zahavi, “Subjectivity and selfhood”, p. 110

Ibid., p. 112.

Flanagan, 1992: 205-210.

Battersby, “Narrativity, Self, and Self-Representation,” p. 36

Ibid., p. 31

Ibid., p. 28

Ibid., p. 42.

Ibid., p. 43.

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Published

30-05-2019

How to Cite

Sumegha Goyal. (2019). Self: narrative, Non Narrative or Both?. Research Ambition an International Multidisciplinary E-Journal, 4(I), 49–55. Retrieved from http://www.researchambition.com/RA/index.php/ra/article/view/96

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Articles