Jay Garfield, a philosophy professor at Smith College and an expert in Buddhist studies, tackles the intriguing concept that our sense of self is an illusion. He discusses the distinction between being a person and having a self, emphasizing that realizing this can be liberating. Garfield shares insights into how losing oneself can lead to deeper happiness and the significance of interconnection. He also explores the difference between pain and suffering and critiques the impact of social media on our identities, all while drawing from Buddhist principles.
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insights INSIGHT
The Illusion of Self
Humans are wired with the illusion of a self, a separate entity behind our mind and body.
This "self" is a cognitive illusion we should shed to live more fully.
insights INSIGHT
Person vs. Self
We exist as persons, not as unchanging selves.
Our identity is like a role played by constantly changing psychophysical processes.
question_answer ANECDOTE
Mueller-Lyer Illusion
The Mueller-Lyer illusion demonstrates how our perception can be tricked, even when we know the truth.
Similarly, we feel the self-illusion even when we understand it's not real.
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In 'Losing Ourselves,' Jay L. Garfield presents a radical argument against the Western notion of selfhood, drawing on Indian and East Asian Buddhism, Daoism, Western philosophy, and cognitive neuroscience. He contends that believing in a self leads to moral egoism and undermines ethics, while understanding ourselves as selfless persons can facilitate more ethical and moral lives. The book emphasizes the practical benefits of the Buddhist idea of no-self, including abandoning egoism, acting more morally and ethically, and navigating life more skillfully. Garfield argues that our sense of self is an illusion and that recognizing ourselves as interdependent persons can lead to greater contentment and compassion for others.
Engaging Buddhism
Jay L. Garfield
Engaging Buddhism: Why It Matters to Philosophy explores the intersections between Buddhist and Western philosophical traditions, covering topics such as metaphysics, philosophy of mind, phenomenology, epistemology, philosophy of language, and ethics. The book argues for the importance of Buddhist philosophy in contemporary Western debates, highlighting its unique contributions and insights. It is designed for scholars of both Western and Buddhist philosophy, aiming to facilitate a deeper understanding and dialogue between these traditions.
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Today’s episode looks at one of the hardest Buddhist principles to grasp— the notion that the self is an illusion. Many people get stuck on the misunderstanding that they don’t exist. They look in the mirror and say, “Of course I exist. I’m right there.” And that’s true, you do exist, but just not in the way you think you do.
Today’s guest, Jay Garfield explores this notion by arguing that you are indeed a person just not a self— a principle that can simultaneously feel both imponderable and liberating.
Jay Garfield is the Doris Silbert Professor in the Humanities and Professor of Philosophy, Logic, and Buddhist Studies at Smith College and a visiting professor of Buddhist philosophy at Harvard Divinity School. He is the Author of multiple books, including his latest, which is called, Losing Ourselves: Learning to Live without a Self.
In this episode we talk about:
The difference between a person and a self
The problems with being taken by the illusion of selfhood
Why he believes the illusion of self is not an evolutionary design flaw
The many benefits of “losing ourselves”
How to actually lose ourselves
The concept of Interconnection
His definition of real happiness
The difference between pain and suffering and how to have the former without the latter
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