Thought insertion and disturbed for-me-ness (minimal selfhood) in schizophrenia.
Mads Gram Henriksen, Josef Parnas, Dan Zahavi
Consciousness and Cognition September 1, 2019 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2019.102770 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Keywords | Consciousness First-rank symptoms For-me-ness Minimal self Schizophrenia Self-disorders Thought insertion |
| Citations | 82 |
| Key points | Argues that thought insertion involves a disturbed for-me-ness rather than a lack of for-me-ness, and proposes a novel account of how this disturbance contributes to thought insertion in schizophrenia spectrum disorders. |
Abstract
In contemporary consciousness research, we have defended a position of experiential minimalism, arguing that for-me-ness (or minimal selfhood) is a necessary, universal feature of phenomenal consciousness. The concept of for-me-ness refers to the fact that experiences are given first-personally to the subject of experience. To challenge the universality of for-me-ness, several authors have referred to the case of thought insertion as a clear counter example. In this study, we address and refute the claim that episodes of thought insertion represent examples of experiences lacking for-me-ness. We highlight certain unaddressed methodological and psychopathological problems that tend to hamper philosophical discussions of thought insertion. Although thought insertion does not involve a lack of for-me-ness, we do argue that thought insertion involves a disturbed for-me-ness. Finally, we offer a novel account of how for-me-ness is disturbed in schizophrenia spectrum disorders and we discuss how a disturbed for-me-ness may be involved in the formation of thought insertion.