The Egocentric State of Mind
July 27, 2018 DOI: 10.4324/9781315122649-8 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that an analogous sequence of discoveries to those that identified DNA as the carrier of genetic information shows that the egocentric mind is not a healthy mind, and that the science of the stream of consciousness reveals the structure, dynamics, and "normal pathologies" of egocentric self-awareness. |
Abstract
Chapter 8 presents the sequence of discoveries that led to our understanding of how the egocentric mind works. It opens with a brief sketch of the century-long sequence of research findings that brought science to the understanding that genetic information is transmitted from one generation to the next by the macromolecule that we now call DNA. It then explains that an analogous sequence of discoveries has led to our understanding that the egocentric mind is not a healthy mind. Chapter 8 enlists the science of the stream of consciousness to delineate the sequence of findings that have established that the mind with an ego is an unhealthy mind: (1) the basic structure of the mind’s experience of the stream of consciousness; (2) the fundamental dynamic that takes place between awareness and the stream of consciousness; (3) the dynamics of the egocentric mode of self-awareness; (4) the state of mind produced by the egocentric mode of self-awareness; and (5) the normal pathologies of the ego. This presentation brings the reader to an understanding of the structure and dynamics of the egocentric mind.