Making Sense with Sam Harris #282 — Do You Really Have a Self?
66 snips
May 23, 2022 
Jay Garfield, a professor of philosophy and author, shares his expertise on the illusion of self. He delves into how our perception of selfhood is an interdependent construct, integrating Buddhist and Western philosophies. The discussion challenges traditional notions of identity and free will, advocating for a deeper understanding of consciousness separate from the self. Garfield emphasizes the role of meditation in reshaping our experience of reality, encouraging listeners to reflect on the complexities of personal identity.
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The Illusory Self
- The self is often illusorily perceived as separate from the body and mind, a subject that owns them.
- This illusion can be challenged by imagining desiring a different body or mind, revealing a sense of not being identical to them.
Importance of Self-Inquiry
- Understanding the self-illusion is crucial for self-understanding and moral development.
- It can reduce corrosive egoism, blame, anger, and enhance flow states and happiness.
The Self and the Physical Universe
- From a third-person perspective, a separate self makes no sense within the physical universe.
- We are materially inseparable from the universe, constantly exchanging atoms and embedded in its causal nexus.
