The Science of Perception

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In your book, you propose that science has uncovered a lot of evidence to suggest our sense of self is an illusion. What do you mean when you say illusion? Well, I think that's probably the first big question that people ask me because there are different connotations of the word illusion. We know this really is true because if you think about other kinds of illusions such as visual illusions and we can measure two lines that look different and show them in fact same or vice versa.

Is the person you believe to be the protagonist of your life story real or a fictional character? In other words, is your very self real or is it an illusion? According to psychologist Bruce Hood, the person at the center of your life isn't really there; it's all neurological smoke and mirrors. Sure, you have the sensation that you have a self, and that sensation is real, but the beliefs and ideas that spring from it are not. Learn all about it in this episode in which you'll hear some new material mixed with a rebroadcast of episode four's interview with the author of The Self Illusion, Bruce Hood.

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