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DIETERHENRICH(Hidlbrg)SELFCONSCIOUSNESS,ACRITICALINTRODUCTIONTOATHEORYIfanybasicconcpthasplaydthladingrolinthhistoryofWstrnphilosophy,itisthatofslfconsciousnss.Dscartswishdtogitomtaphysicsanindubitablfoundationinthcrtaintyofslfofathinkingbing.Libnizblidslfconsciousnsstobnotonlythfirst,indubitablcrtaintyofaralxistntntity,butalsothprinciplofdductionforthjustificationofallfundamntalconcptsofontology.AndKantfollowdLibniz,giinghisprinciplaturntothsubjcti;throughananalysisofthstructurofslfconsciousnss,oncanascrtain,whatknowldgandundrstandingingnralman.ForFicht,thisstructuristhuniquproblmofphilosophy,onwhichincludsallothrs.AndnforHgl,whowantdtoputanndtothisphilosophyo,fsubjcti,crtainty,thcrucialxprimntforhisspculatilogicwasthdmonstrationthatonlysuchalogicis.suitablforintrprtingthphnomnonofslfconsciousnss.Empiricallyorintdphilosophyhasnolackofsingularprinciplsofdduction,butnformpiricismslfconsciousnssisanxcptionalcasofunaccustomddifficultyrquiringspcialanalysis.DaidHumadmittdbingincapablinthisoninstancoffindingasolutionwhichsatisfidhim,,andhisscruplshayttoborcom.Buthisoriginalcriticismofthoswhospakofslfconsciousnssinphilosophywithtoo.muchmphasisandwhousdubiousargumntsdrawnfromthisnotiontobuttrssthirwobblymtaphysicshasmtwithagrmntandapproal.Inaddition,radicalsolutionshabnproposd,whichaimatdoingawaywithconsciousnssasaspcialproblmandwithslfconsciousnssasamaningfulconcpt.WilliamJamswasthfirsttomakthissuggstion1,andhisanalysisconincdRussll,althoughsomwhatblatdly.2Indpndntlyo.fthisandstartingfromtotallydiffrntprsuppositions.,co,ntinntalphilosophyhasarridatsimilarpositions,thmostimportantofwhichisthato,fHidggr.Howr,thiscomprhnsicriticalundrtaking,whichcouldcountnWittgnst.inamongitsadhrnts,hasnotsuccddindpriingthtrmslfconsciousnssofitscurrncy.Atanyrat,insuchdspisdDIETERHENRICHbordringdisciplinsaspsychoanalysisandpsychdlicphilosophy,thconcptoffslfconsciousnssrmainsofdominantimportanc;andnaphilosophrwhoisfarrmodfromallsuchtndncis,Strawson,hasrcntlydaimdthatthstructurofxprinccannotbanalyzdwithoutaconcptofthidntityofthcognitisubjct.8Thryfactthatthsradicalsolutionshasmdncssaryandthatthariousattmptshaldtodiamtricallyopposdpositionsindicatsthathrwhaaprssingfundamntalproblmofparticularintrst.Anditiswiththisproblm,oratlastwithonofitsmostssntialaspcts,thatthispaprdals.Forthsakofargumnt,thinstigationwillstartfromthassumptionthatconsciousnssisastatofaffairswithwhichwarfamiliar,andthatitisamaningfultasktotrytogianaccountofitsstructur.Hroncanandmustaskwhthrconsciousnssisintlligiblindpndntlyorwhthritcanbundrstoodonlyonthbasisofaprioranalysisofslfconsdousnss.Inanycas,slfconsciousnsscannotbundrstoodwithoutananalysisofconsciousnss.Butthattmpttodtrminthstructurofconsciousnsswillladtodifficultisandwillfinallypointtoafundamntaldifficultyforanythoryofconsciousnssandslfconsciousnssaswll.Thisisnotthdifficultywhichmotiatdthradicalattmptstodoawaywithalldiscoursaboutconsciousnss,butitisanwargumntinthirsupport.Thusitwillbcomncssarytoaluatthsattmptstobananyusofthconcptslfconsciousnss.Asarsultofthisxamination,asuggstionforanwtypofthoryofslfconsciousnsswillbmad,atypwhichaoidsthdifficultismntiond.Finally,thproposdthorywillbapplidtothproblmswhichhastoodinthforfrontinthmostsignificantthorisofslfconsciousnss.Thlargcompassofthproblmsinoldhrmaksitimpossibltogimorthanasktchofthmostsalintaspcts.Manyargumntsstandinndoffurthrdaborationandclarification.Onmightmntionstillanothrpculiarityofthfollowingdiscussion:thtrainofthollghtsprsntdhrhas,likJanus,thRomangodofdoorwaysandntrancs,two,facs.Thbasicthoughtsblonginthcontxtofcontinntalphilosophy;thaimistohlpundrstandthstrngthsandwaknsssofthorisinthistraditionwhicharorintdtowardsthproblmsofslfconsciousnss.Onmightcallthisthinnrfac.Butthtratmntofthproblmcloslyapproachsthanalyticdiscussionsofslfconsciousnss.ThuswhaacontinntalproblmdiscussdfromanAngloSaxonprspcti.4SELFCONSCIOUSNESSOncanonlyhopthatthispassagorthoftnotdandoftlamntdgulfbtwnthtwotraditionsprostobpossibl'.IWbginbyaskingwhthrornotthstructurofconsciousnsscanbanalyzdfromanyofthcommonlyaccptdstandpointsofintrprtation(disrgardingforourpurpossthcausalxplanationofconsciousnss).Now,thstatso,faffairswhichwdsignatconsciousnssarpolymorphous,andthworditslfisambiguous.Fromthbhaioristicpointofiw,acrtainclassofmodsofractiono,faprsoninth.normalwakingstat,aclasswhichdo'snotinclud,.g.,dramxprincs,isdsignatdco,nscious.Butitisquitmaningfultospakofadramconsciousnss,whichmustnotncssarilybassumdinaslpwalkrwhoxhibitsatlastpartofhisnormalractions.Suchconsidrationsgiristoawidrmaningofconsciousnsswhichcanbgraspdinbhaioristictrminology,ifatall,onlywiththgratstdifficulty.Incontrasttothis,thrisanarrowsnsofthword,inaccordancwithwhichconscioushssisusdonlywhrattntionanddiscriminationofobjctsarinidnc,i..,whrthrisaprformancwhichtaksplacasthrsultofacrtainlarningprocss.Inallprobabilityitisncssarytodistinguishthbroadrfromthnarrowrus,butatthsamtimtoaccptconsciousnssinthbroadrsnsasthprrquisito.fattntion.Inthfollowingdiscussionthwidrsnsofconsciousnsswillbtaknasthpointofdpartur.Itisassumdthatwarfamiliarwithsuchaconsciousnss.Significantxprincswhichillustratouracquaintancwithconsciousnssinthiswidrsnsar,.g.,thxprincaccompanyingwakingfromslporralizingthatonisdraming.Suddnlyappardacomplxntworkofsnsimprssions,imags,andindistinctbodilyflings,oftnladnwithsymbolicmaning,allarrangdsoastocratamoodoratmosphr,aworldarisingfromnothingnss,connctdwiththpastonlythroughmmoryandridntification.Thiscratioquasixnihiloisxtrmlyoddandcausslittlconstrnationonlybcausitisryfamiliar.Thfactthatphysiologistscandtrminfromthpattrnonthirncphalographswhnthsxprincsartakingplacdosnoto,fitslftllushowtointrprtthxprincwha.Ofcoursoncanimaginaconsciousnssthatxistdunintrruptdlyorwhichwasincapablofmmory,sothatitknwnithrawakningtoDIETERHENRICHthdaylightnorcomingtoralizthatonisdraming.Howr,ourknowldgofdramingandslpisnotthonlybasisforourralizationthatconsciousnssbringsusthpossibilitisofbcomingacquaintdwithwhatwncountrandofhaingknowldgandxprincofit.Rathr,waralso.acquaintdwithconsciousnssitslf.Ifwwrnot,wcouldnotbabltoassrtwithaninfalliblcrtainty(whichcannotbthrsultoflarning)thatwarhaingxprincs.Norwouldwbabltobsurofwhatkindofxprincitis,nwhnwordsfocommunicatingitfailus.Ifwwrnotacquaintdwithconsciousnss,wwouldnrbabltodistinguishdramlssslpfromdramingorfromwaking.Indramlssslpitslfwknownothingofwaking,bcausinslpnoknowldgofslpitslfispossibl.Butinconsciousnssthrisnoapparancofanythingwithoutsomthinglikanapparancogconsciousnssitslf.Thisapparancofconsciousnssitslfmustnaturallybofatotallydiffrntkindfromthatof,.g.,consciousimagsandflings.Ifonaskshowsuchconsciousnssis.tobundrstood,itisnolongrobiousthatitblongstoango,andhncisbasicallyslfconsciousnss.Wkno%tobsur,thatitisaprsonwho,bginstoawaknortodram,butthisdosnotmanthatthconsciousnssstructurwhichwattributtoananimalorganismoraprsoncapablofspchandactionmustncssarilybrlatdtoaslf.Indd,thrisnothinginthfactsaswknowthmtosupportthisclaim.Atanyrat,uponawakningahorizonofthworldspradsitslfout.Wthnfindourslswithinthishorizonandralizthatwarwakingup.Andthisisconsistntwiththfactthatthlastthingtosinkoutofconsciousnssuponfallingaslpisnotth.flingofslf,butrathrawordofimagswhosclarity(andinmostcassalsocolorintnsity)hasincrasdinproportionasthirxplicitrfrnctothslfdcrasd.Cousciousnssdosnotndwithsomkindo,frudimntaryxprincofslf,ason:wouldxpcttobthcasifitwasssntiallydpndntuponorrlatdtoaslf.Thusitisquitnaturaltobginbyconsidringthossuggstdanalyssofconsciousnsswhichtrytodispnswithanyconcptionofslfconsciousnss..1.Onmightattmpttointrprtconsciousnssasarlationofthindiidualdmntswhicharitscontntsordatatothmsls.ThissuggstionwasfirstmadbyBrntanoandthnwasmadmorprcisbySchmalnbach.4Allrisdphnomnologicpositions,.g.,thatofSartr,smSELFCONSCIOUSNESSforcdtoitntually.Butbothconcptualandmpiricaldifficultismakituntnabl.Inthfirstplac,itcannotaccountforanundisputdfact:consdousnssisalwaysawarnssofarlationbtwndiffrntdata.Ifonlmntdosnotcontrastwithanothr,consciousnssnractuallyappars.Thisiswhatconstitutsthsynthticstructurofconsciousnsswhichwas.thorticallyxploitdsoxtnsilybyKant.Oncanhardlymaintainthatthisstatofaffairsisthrsultofthcontingntfactthatsralrprsntations,achofwhichisalradyanobjctofconsciousnssinitsownright,alwaysoccursimultanouslyandcomintoconnctionwithon.anothr.Anothrobjctionismorimportant:ifconsciousnssisarlationofthistyp,itiscrtainlynotasymmtricon'.Thisthorywouldrquirthatwascribto,achlmntginasobjctofconsciousnsstworols:thdatumofconsciousnssinsofarasitisawarofitslf,andthis.datuminsofarasitisthobjctofawarnss.Withoutthisassumptionwwouldnotbablto.indicatthtworlatawhicharthminimalconditionsforthxistncofthrlationconsciousnss.Eachstat'ofaffairs,inasmuchasitwouldbbothprcipinsandprcptum,wouldb.inthpositionofrlatingto.itslfasakindofsubjct.Andsothissuggstionshowsitslfforwhatitrallyis:anattmpttoimportthsubjctobjctmodlofthsubjcto,fallconsciousnssintoachindiidualdatumofconsciousnss.Buthowisontoconci'ofachobjctofrprsntationasanaggrgatofsubjctsofconsciousnss?Eithrthrisahirarchyofsubjctsofsubjcts,sothatsubjctso,fahighrordrxplainthunityo.fthobjctquaobjctofrprsntation.Butthisassumptionisanabsurdity.Orthrisnoxplanationforthunityofthobjctofrprsntationxcptintractionamongpartialsubjcts.Butinthis.casoncannrundrstandanindiidualobjctofrprsntationwhichindudsamanifoldofdata.Rathr,itwouldbalogicaltruththatcomplxobjctsofrprsntationarrprsntdasmanytimsasthlmntarydatacontaindinthmandthisisanothrabsurdity.2.Ifonwishstomaintainthintrprtationofconsdousnssasangolssrlatio.n,thpossibilityprsntsitslfofconciingitasarlationbtwnariousoccurrncsandstatsofaffairs.Butitisclarthatthisattmptcanbsuccssfulonlyontwoconditions:(a)thrlationmustholdxdusilybtwnthstatsofaffairsassuch,andnot,forinstanc,btwnthmandsomthirdthingwhichcouldbnothinglsbutasubjct,DIETERHENRICHknowldg,ornconsciousnssitslf.Inthiscasththorywouldabandonitsownprogram.(b)Thcharactrpsychicorconsciousmustnotbattributabltothstatsofaffairsbythmsls,inisolationfromthirrlationtoon'anothr.Inthiscasconsciotsnsswouldnotbintrprtdinprinciplasarlation,butasaproprtyasuggstionwhichwillbdiscussdlatr.Itisdifficulttosatisfybothofthsconditionsatthsamtim.Asriousattmptinthisdirctioncanbmadonlywithinthframworkofththoryknownasnutralmonism.ButonwillnotfindththoryinitspurformithrinJamsorinRussll.Bothhaalwaysattributdtothprimalstufformatrialthproprtyofbingxprincdorginattributswhichcanbjustifidonlyifonofthtwoconditionsmntiondis.disrgardd.Thrardcisiobjctionstoannmorconsistntattmpttoconstructanutralmonism.Ltusassumforthmomntthatitisactuallyth:casthatnomntalprdicatisattributabltothstatofaffairsbtwnwhichthrlationsholdinthirownright,inisolationfromonanothr.Thnitisimpossibltoswhatkindofrlationcouldholdbtwnthmsuchthatthisrlationwasncssarilyconscious.Itispossiblthatonmightfindrlationswhichwknowalwaystoappartog'thrwithconscionsnss.Butthisisnottosaythatthyarquialntinmaningtoconsciousnss.Ifonbginswithamatrialorstuffwhichisabstract,i..,xprincd,andwhoslmntsarnotalradypsychic,anyrlationbtwnthmiscompatiblwiththassumptionthat,althoughthrlationobtains,thrisnoconsciousnssofit.Hritmaksnodiffrncatallwhthritturnsouttobncssarytoconcithisrlationasanurologicalprocss,bhaioristicallyasabhaiorpattrn,ornonthbasisofthconstructofunsnsdsnsa.Forinnonofthscassofrlationsinanabstractstuffwoulditbncssarytoassumthatconsciousnssisprsnt.Consquntly,ifitisconciablthatthrlationholdsbothwhnconsciousnssisprsntandwhnitisabsnt,thisrlationcrtainlycannotpassasasuitablandadquatdscriptionofconsciousnss.3.Thrrmainsthpossibilityofintrprtingconsciousnss(incontrasttoarlation)asamonadicproprtyofcrtainstatsofaffairs,sothatthybcomconsciousbypossssingthisproprty.Itissurlypossibltoassumthatntswithsommonadicproprtytakplacinprimitiliingcratursinconnctionwiththirractiontostimuli,andtocallSELFCONSCIOUSNESSthosntsconsciousbcausofthisconnctionwithstimulation.Butsuchntswouldhanothingincommonwiththphnomnonwithwhichwarfamiliarundrthnamconsciousnssxcptprhapsthphysicalandphysiologicalconditionsofoccurrnc.Ashasbnshown,consciousnssisnotboundtoindiidualnts;itimplisatlastrlationsandmaksrlationsofacrtainsortpossibl,.g.,attntionanddscription.Butifthproprtyconsciousisatlastpartiallyrlational,thintroductionofanwtrminologydosnothlpmattrs,andthdifficultiso,fthtwopriouslydiscussdproposalsrcurunchangd.IISincthstandardintrprtationsofconsciousnss,whichdispnswiththassumptionofango:,foundr,ltusturntoadiscussionofgologicalthorisofconsciousnss.Inthisconnctiondifficultiswillariswhichaffctthorisofconsciousnsswithoutango,too,sothatoncandrawsomgnralconclusions.1.Ithasbnsuggstdthatconsciousnsscanbundrstoodasthrlationofangotoanymattrsoffactwhatsor.Russlladocatdthisthorybforconrtingtonutralmonism,andhcalldthrlationofthItothmattroffactacquaintanc.''5Hisanalysisassumsthatboththsubjctandthacquaintancaratfirstnotobjctsofconsciousnss.Thycanbmadobjctsofconsciousnssinanothracquaintancrlationwhichhasitsownsubjct.Thisrflctiononthfirstllacquaintanccandonomorthanbringtoconsciousnssthatthrwasacquaintanconthfirstll.Fromthfactthatarlationisgin,thinfrnc,isdrawnthatthrtatumsubjctisalsoprsnt.Againstthisanalysis,itcouldbobjctdthatitisimpossibltoconcihowarlationcanbascrtaindtoholdifthrlatacannrbimmdiatlygin.Ifnoprsonorsubjct(orwhatronwantsto,callit)whoisacquaintdwiththstatofaffairswhichisthobjctofconscioushssisrgininconsciousnss,thnitisabsurdto,claimthatacquaintancitslfisgin.Crtainlythrarcassinwhichwar.conincdofarlation,nifwcannotobsrthrlata.Howrthsrlationsarthnxplanationsofothrrlationswhichcanbxprincdimmdiatlywithallofthirrlata.Wintrprtimmdiatlyginstatsofaffairsasrlationsonlyifallthirrlatacould,atlastinprincipl,quallywllbimmdiatlygin.DIETERHENRICHThisargumnt,bythway,dosnotxcludthpossibilityofasocalldtranscndntalgo.Howr,ifsuchangoinprinciplcannotbxprincd,itcannotbonofthrlatawhichcausthsxprincstohaarlationalstructur.ItalmostsmsasifRussllwishdtogibothananalysisandanxplanationofthstructurofcosdousnssinasinglstpandthisissurlyanabsurdundrtaking.2.Thus,ifonwantstoxplainconsciousnssgologically,onmustprocdasfollows:onmustattributslfconsciousnsstothsubjcofconsciousnss,andthnonmusttrytodmonstratthatthisslfconsciousnssisthraldfinitionofanyconsciousnsswhatsor.ThisisthpositionofKantandofmanywhofollowdhim:thpossibilityofslfconsciousnssdfinsallconsciousnss(atlastallconsciousnssofthsortwithwhichwarfamiliaO.Thisthoryisinaccordancwithcommonlyaccptdnotionsofthstructurofslfconsciousnss.Onmightcallthisthrflctionthoryofslfconsciousnss.Ththorystartsfromthassmnpdonthatntitiswhichhaslfconsciousnsscanxcutactsofrflctionwhichnablthmtoisolatthirownstatsandactiitisthmaticallyandtobringthmtoxplicitconsciousnss.Itwillnotbdisputdthatthispossibilityxistsinntitiswhicharcapablofbingconsciousofthmsls.Rflctionisatlastonofthirmostimportantprforuancs.Inaddition,rflctionrallydosbringitaboutthatthsntitiscanncountrthmsls,anditcanmotiatthmtothatsdfcontrolandconscintiousmodofbhaiorwhichisalsodsignatdbythwordslfconsciousnss.Butfromallthisitdosnotfollowatallthatrflctionisthbasicstructurofslfconsdousnss.Andifrflctiondosnotndfinslfconsciousnss,itissurlyunsatisfactorytousittointrprtconsciousnssingnralasaconsquncofslfconsciousnss.ThthorywhichintrprtsconsciousnssashaingitsfoundationinslfconsciousnsscanbdlopdwithoutthassumptionthatthrlationofthItoitslfhasthcharactrofanactofrflction.So(a)itisncssaryfirsttotakupthmorspcificrflctionthory,whichdfinsconsciousnssingnralbyslfconsciousnss,andslfconsciousnssbyrflction,thrflctionbingundrstoodasthactofango.Thn(b)wshallconsidramorgnralthoryofthsamtyp,which,althoughitabandonsthstructurallmntsofthrflctionthoryinthnarrowrsns,continusto,undrstandconsciousnssasthstirrfrncofan'T'10SELFCONSCIOUSNESSand(bcausofthat)rmainsorintdtowardthmodlofrflction.(a)Itisnotdifficulttosthatthrflctionthoryiscircular:ifwassumthatrflctionisanactiityprformdbyasubjctandthisassumptionishardtoaoiditisclarthatrflctionsprsupposan'T'whichiscapablofinitiatingactiityspontanously,forth'T'asakindofquasiactcannotbcomawarofitsrflctiononlyaftrthfact.Itmustprformthrflctionandbconsciousofwhatitdosasthsamtimasitdosit.Itmightbpossibltoconstructathoryofrflctionwhichbypasssthisconsqunc,whichsms,atfirstglanctobunaoidabl.Yt.nthnthcircularityofthrflctionthoryrcursatsomothrpoint:oncannot,byrflctingonastatofaffairs:,bringittoconsciousnssforthfirsttim.Inanycas,rflctionisanactiitydirctdtosomnd.Thatwhichistobbroughttoxplicitconsciousnssthroughrflctionmustbprsnt,atlastimplicitly,sothatitcancallforththactofrflctio,nwhichisdirctdtoit.Rflctionisnotsimplyanaccidntaloccurrncofconcntratdconsciousnss,ofsomstat:ofaffairs.Itprsuppossthatthisstatofaffairshasbcomstrikingorconspicuousandhasproducdtnsionswhichcallforthorforctlconcntrationofattntionuponthobjct.Forthrflctionthoryofslfconsciousnss,thstatofaffairswhichattractsthattntionofconsciousnssmustbthsubjctofslfconsciousnss.Consquntly,inrflctionaconsciousnssofthsubjctisprsupposd;andrgardlssofwhthrthis.rflctionisundrstoodasanactofthIornot,thrflctionthorycanatmostxplainxplicitxprincofslf,butnoslfcousciousnssassuch.(b)But,ingnral,anyintrprtationofconsciousnssasthslfrfrncofan'T'canbsntobuntnablongroundstotallyindpndntofthcircularitisofthrflctionthoryinitsnarrowrsns:inanycas,rgardlssofhowth'T'comsintorlationtoitslf,whthrbyanactofrflctionorinsomothrway,th'T'mustgraspitslfinslfconsciousnss.Sincthisgraspingofitslfmustspcificallybaconsciousapprhnsion,th'T'musthasomnotionthatthatwithwhichitbcomsacquaintdinslfconsciousnssisitslf.Tothisnditisnotrquisitthatithaanysortofconcptualknowldgo,fitslforthatitbabltogiadscriptionofitslf.But,inanycas,itmustbabltoassrtwithcrtaintythatitisitslfwithwhichitbcomsacquaintdinslfconsciousnss,whthrthisslfacquaintancrsultsfromrflctionorsomothrmannr.Itisawllknownfactthatthiscrtitudisinfallibl,11DIETERHENRICHinstantanous,andsofarbyonddoubtthatnthqustion,Isth'you'withwhomyouthinkyouaracquaintdas'yourslf'rallyyou,andnotprhapssomon.ls?smsabsurd.Thqustiondosinddhaamaningifitrfrstoanassssmntofon'sownhabits,abilitis,charactrtraits,tc.Butdoubtsaboutsuchthingsprsupposthatsomonhasbnidntifidwhocouldbthobjctofsuchdoubts.Thqustion,WhoamIrally?iswightynoughandprobablycannrbanswrdcompltly,andcrtainlynrwithcompltcrtainty.Butthisqustionprsuppossthatthqustion,AmI,IthisI,thIofwhichIamawar,m?hasalradybnanswrd,orrathrthatanyanswrxcptYsisuttrlyabsurd,andhncthatthqustionitslfismaninglss.Thindicator'T',assumingittobusdinitsproprsns,cannotfailtorfr.Thispculiarityofslfconsciousnsscannotbxplaindwiththhlpofanysortofrflxirlationonth.'T'toitslf.Suchanxplanationmustncssarilyturnouttobcircularndisrgardingallthspcialproblmsconnctdwiththrflctionthory.Inordrtoarriatanidntificationofitslf,th'T'mustalradyknowundrwhatconditionsitcanattributthatwhichitncountrs,orthatwithwhichitbcomsacquaintd,toitslf.Itisquitpossibl,andsmstooccurrathroftn,thatbingscapablofprforminganidntificationarinprinciplincapablofcomingintorlationtothmsls.Aprsonwhotristojumporhisownshadowisridiculousbcaushcouldasilyfindoutthat,inallhisattmpts,hhasonlytodowithapartofhimslf.Hiscapablofdiscoringthisbcaushalradyknowsandattributstohimslfsomuchabouthisonbodilyflings,motoryimpulss,andintntions,thathoughttoaccptthshadowashisconstantcompanionwithcomparatias.Ifhhadnoacquaintancwithhimslf,anacquaintancwhichprcdsanyncountrwithanobjctofconsciousnss,hwouldnrknowwhathshouldattributto,himslf.Hwouldnotnbabltofindanymaninginthdirctithathidntifywithhimslfsomthingwhichhncountrs.Thusryrflxirlationshipofth'T'toitslfalradyprsuppossitsfamiliaritywithitslfinatwofoldsns:firstasknowldgofthpossibilityofascribinganyprdicattoitslf,andscondlyasthcapacitytodistinguishfromitslfanythingwhichisdiffrntfrom,orothrthan,itslf.Oncannotscapthisconsquncnbyassumingarflxirlationassubsistingabinitio,sothatitndnrbbroughtforthbyanact.En12SELFCONSCIOUSNESSaprmanntslfidntificationissimultanouslyunaoidabl,andinxplicabl.Itisnousdistinguishingconcptualknowldgofthslffromanoriginal,nonconcptualacquaintanc,whichisassrtdto,rquirnithrconcptualidntificationnordscription.6Itiscrtainlyquitcorrctthatsuchacrtaintyo,fslfmustbassumd.Thryimmdiacyofthiscrtaintyofslfforcsustothisconclusion.WhnIask,AmIinpain?,itisabsurdtoadd,AndarthpainswhichIflrallymyown?Thabsurdityofthsfurthrqustionalsopointsto.t