A lot of people challenged James's thesis by saying, wait a minute, what about this old poem? It looks pretty self-reflective. And how can he claim that this isn't true? I think the very way he defends it also forces you to think about this evolution in our self-awareness.
Neuroscientist and author Erik Hoel talks about his book, The World Behind the World, with EconTalk's Russ Roberts. Is it possible to reconcile the seemingly subjective inner world of human experience with the seemingly objective outer world of observation, measurement, and science? Despite the promise of neuroscience, Hoel argues that this reconciliation is surprisingly difficult. Join Hoel and Roberts for a wide-ranging exploration of what it means to be human and the limits of science in helping us understand who we are.