1. The Question of Subjectivity
Open Book Publishers January 27, 2025 Gabriella Stanchina
This chapter reviews modern and contemporary theories of the self, identifying three central debates in philosophy of mind: whether a stable 'ego' is necessary for mental coherence, how self-consciousness arises (through objectifying reflection or prior self-familiarity), and the relationship between the self, the body, other minds, and neural conditions. The author argues that comparative Western and non-Western approaches to the self remain limited but advocate for a shift toward a performative, dynamic, multidimensional idea of self. The chapter provides background for appreciating Mou Zongsan's original contribution to debates about subjectivity and self-consciousness, which the author claims has been overlooked in systematic monographs.