Eastern philosophy says there is no “self.” Science agrees

2023年06月17日

東洋と西洋の哲学では、「自己」について対照的な考え方があります。西洋哲学では、自己とは、思考、感情、行動の中心であり、パイロットに似た安定した制御実体であると考えられています。東洋の哲学、特に仏教は、自己とは幻想であり、私たちの思考プロセスの副産物であると主張します。現代の神経科学は東洋の見解を支持しており、脳の左半球が現実を解釈する物語を作り出し、誤った自己認識につながることを示しています。この幻想的な自己は、しばしば絶え間ない内なる対話と同一視され、人間の精神的苦痛に大きく寄与しています。私たちが誰であるかを考えている物語と実際の私たちを区別できないことが、私たちの精神的苦痛の主な原因です。これは、個々の自己は実際の存在というよりも架空の人物に近いという東洋の精神的な伝統と一致しています。(English) Eastern and Western philosophies have contrasting views on the "self." Western philosophy sees the self as a stable, controlling entity, akin to a pilot, central to thoughts, feelings, and actions. Eastern philosophies, notably Buddhism, argue that the self is an illusion, a by-product of our thought processes. Modern neuroscience supports the Eastern view, showing that the brain's left hemisphere creates narratives to interpret reality, leading to a false sense of self. This illusionary self, often equated with constant inner dialogue, contributes significantly to human mental suffering. The inability to distinguish between the narrative of who we think and who we indeed are is the primary cause of our mental distress. This aligns with the Eastern spiritual traditions that the individual self is more like a fictional character than an actual entity.

Eastern philosophy says that there is no "self". Science agrees

"Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent of everything you think and do is for you - and there is no you."

//SUMMARY//

In contrast to the Western Descartesian philosophy of "I think, therefore I am", there is the Buddhist philosophy of "no self". The thinking mind reinvents the self from moment to moment so that it bears no resemblance to the stable, coherent self that most people believe it to be.

Neuroscientists cannot identify which nerve in the brain the self belongs to. Also, in people with severe epilepsy, cutting a large bundle of fibres called the corpus callosum, which connects the right and left hemispheres like a bridge, has been shown to stop seizures. And, by chance, it became possible to study the right and left hemispheres separately.

When the right brain is told to walk, the left brain comes up with a false explanation: "I'm going into the house to get a Coke." When asked to laugh, the left brain replies, "They come and test us every month. What a way to make a living!" The answer was not that I laughed because you asked me to or that I don't know.

This strongly supports the Oriental idea that the individual self is more like a fictional character than a real one. We have many problems, but what if we take the 'I' out of the problem? All suffering, such as worry, anger, regret and jealousy, arises from a fictitious sense of self.

The Taoist philosopher and author Wei Wu Wei, when writing: "Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent of everything you think and do is for yourself - there's no such thing."

//Summary - 2//

In the West, the idea is that the self exists and people decide and act independently.

But in the East, there is no consistent self, and we reinvent our thoughts from moment to moment.

And it's been scientifically proven. Neuroscientists cannot identify which nerve in the brain the self belongs to.

Patients with epilepsy found that cutting the part that connects the right and left hemispheres relieved their symptoms.

In other words, it became possible to study the right and left brains separately.

The right brain gave rational answers, but the left gave inexplicable answers.

In other words, this fact provides evidence that the individual's self is more like a fictional character than the authentic self.

Buddhism teaches that we have many problems but are free from all suffering if there is no self.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Western philosophy typically conceptualises the self as a stable, controlling entity comparable to a pilot. In contrast, Eastern philosophies such as Buddhism argue that the self is an illusion, a byproduct of our thought processes.

Modern neuroscience provides evidence consistent with the Eastern view, showing that the brain's left hemisphere constantly creates narratives to interpret reality, leading to false identification with these self-narratives.

This false sense of self, often equated with constant inner dialogue, significantly contributes to human mental suffering.

The brain-driven individual, the self, ego, mind or "I", is central to Western thought. In the Western worldview, the most significant thinkers are heralded as world-changers.

There is no more brief example of this than the philosopher René Descartes' famous statement, "Cogito, ergo sum", or "I think, therefore I am". But who is he? Let's look at the thinker, or "I", we all take for granted.

Western view: The self is a pilot

For most of us, this "I" is the first thing that comes to mind when we think about who we are. The "I" represents the idea of ourselves, which sits between the ears and behind the eyes and "pilots" the body.

The 'pilot' is in charge, it doesn't change much, and it feels like the thing that brings our thoughts and feelings to life. It observes, makes decisions, and performs actions like an aeroplane pilot.

This ego is what we think of as our true self, and this individual self is the experiencer and controller of things like thoughts, feelings and actions.

The pilot self feels like he is in charge. It is stable and continuous. It also controls our physical body; for example, this self understands it is 'my body'.

But unlike our physical body, it does not perceive itself as changing, ending (except, perhaps, for atheists, in physical death) or being affected by anything other than itself.

Eastern view: The Self is an Illusion

Now let's turn to the East. Buddhism, Taoism, the Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism and other schools of Eastern thought have a very different view of the self, the ego or "I".

They say that this idea of "I" is fiction, albeit a very convincing one. Buddhism has a word for this concept - anatta, often translated as 'no self' - which is one of the most fundamental tenets of Buddhism, if not the most important.

This idea sounds radical, even nonsensical, to those trained in Western traditions. It seems to contradict our everyday experience, indeed our very sense of being.

But in Buddhism and other schools of Eastern thought, the concept of self is seen as the result of the thinking mind. The thinking mind reinvents the self from moment to moment so that it bears no resemblance to the stable, coherent self that most people believe it to be.

Put another way; it is the process of thinking that creates the self rather than a self that has an independent existence separate from review.

The self is more like a verb than a noun. To take this further, the implication is that the self does not exist without thought.

Just as walking only exists while walking, the self only exists while there are thoughts about it.

As a neuropsychologist, I can say that I think science is just now catching up with what Buddhist, Taoist and Advaita Vedanta Hinduism have been teaching for over 2500 years.

There is no "self-centre" in the brain

The great success story of neuroscience has been the mapping of the brain. We can point to the language centre, the face processing centre and the centre for understanding the emotions of others.

Virtually every function of the mind has been mapped onto the brain, with one crucial exception: the self. Perhaps this is because these other functions are stable and consistent, whereas the story of the self is hopelessly inventive and far less durable than is thought.

While various neuroscientists have claimed that the self resides in this or that neural location, there is no actual agreement in the scientific community about where it is located - not even whether it is on the left or the right side of the brain. Perhaps we can't find the self in the brain because it isn't there.

This may be difficult to grasp, mainly because we have mistaken the thinking process for a natural thing for so long.

It will take some time to see the idea of an 'I' as simply an idea rather than a fact. Your illusionary self - the voice in your head - is very persuasive.

It narrates the world, determines your beliefs, replays your memories, identifies with your physical body, makes projections of what might happen in the future and creates your judgements about the past.

We feel this sense of self from the moment we open our eyes in the morning to the moment we close them at night.

It seems so essential that it often comes as a shock when I tell people, based on my work as a neuropsychologist, that this 'I' is not there - at least not how we think it is.

The big difference between the Eastern spiritual traditions and psychology is that the former have recognised this experientially, and the latter have done so experimentally (and accidentally, by the way).

And this means, in my view, that those who study and teach psychology are still largely unable to appreciate the implications of these findings.

A chance discovery

By way of background, it is essential to remember that the brain has two mirror halves connected by a large bundle of fibres called the corpus callosum.

In research to alleviate severe epilepsy, Roger Sperry and Michael Gazzaniga believed that seizures would be easier to control by cutting this bridge between the two sides of the brain. They were right, and Sperry would win the Nobel Prize in 1981.

While each side of the brain is specialised for specific tasks, the two sides are usually in constant communication. However, when this connection was broken, it became possible to study the work of each side of the brain in isolation.

With the sides disconnected in these epileptic patients, scientists could test each side in isolation and gain insight into the functional differences between the left and right sides of the brain. These patients were known as "split-brain" patients.

To understand this research, it is also essential to know that the body is cross-wired - this means that all input and output from the right side of the body crosses over and is processed by the left brain and vice versa.

This crossover also applies to vision so that the left half of what we see goes to the right side of the brain and vice versa. Again, this only became apparent in the split-brain patients.

And research with these subjects led to one of the most important discoveries about the left side of the brain - one that has yet to be fully appreciated by modern psychology or the general public.

In one of Gazzaniga's experiments, researchers presented the word "walk" to only the right side of a patient's brain. The patient immediately responded by getting up and walking out of the van where the test was taking place.

When the patient's left brain, which is responsible for language, was asked why he had got up to walk, the interpreter came up with a plausible but completely false explanation: "I'm going into the house to get a Coke."

In another exercise, the word "laugh" was presented to the right hemisphere, and the patient complied.

When asked why she was laughing, her left brain joked: "You come and test us every month. What a way to make a living!"

Remember, the correct answer here would have been "I got up because you asked me to" and "I laughed because you asked me to", but since the left brain did not have access to these requests, it made up an answer and believed it, rather than saying "I don't know why I just did that".

An unreliable interpreter

Gazzaniga found that the left side of the brain creates explanations and reasons to make sense of what is happening around us.

The left brain acts as an "interpreter" of reality. What is more, Gazzaniga found that, as in the examples above, this interpreter is often entirely and utterly wrong.

This finding should have rocked the world, but most people haven't heard of it.

Think about the significance of this for a moment. The left side of the brain was making up interpretations or stories for events happening in a way that made sense to that side of the brain or as if it was directing the action.

None of these explanations was true, but that was unimportant to the interpreting mind, which was convinced that its answers were correct.

Over the last 40 years, several additional studies have shown that the left side of the brain is very good at explaining what's going on, even if it's not correct, even in people with normal brain function.

For example, all things being equal, we prefer what is on the right side, but almost no one is aware of this. Hence, the researchers presented participants with no previous brain damage with three nearly identical items and asked them which they preferred.

There was an apparent right preference, but they made up a false story like "I just like the colour more" when asked why. Even when the researchers told them the idea of the study, the participants' left brains couldn't help but believe the stories it had created.

The truth is that your left brain has been interpreting reality for you all your life, and if you are like most people, you have never understood the full implications of this.

This is because we confuse the story of who we think we are with who we are.

The uncontrollable inner voice

Most of us live our lives under the interpreter's guidance, which makes the mind our master, and we are unaware of it.

We may become angry, offended, sexually aroused, happy or fearful, and we do not question the authenticity of these thoughts and experiences.

Although it is clear that these experiences are happening to us, somehow, we retain the idea that we are still in charge of it all.

Test this and experience the interpreter directly rather than assuming it is who you are. For the rest of the day, notice if an inner voice creates theories to explain what is happening.

The agent may say: "That person looks happy," "That person seems smart," or "Maybe I shouldn't have sent that email. If these stories are who you are, you should be able to turn them off. Can you?

Here is another way to test this. Read the following two numbers, but do not complete the pattern by filling in the blanks with your inner voice. 3,2, _. Did your inner voice complete the design and say "one"? Try again, and try not to complete the design in your head.

The next time there is an intrusive thought, consider that the fact that you cannot stop it proves that there is no inner self controlling it.

10)

Science supports the Eastern view

So, for the first time in history, scientists' findings in the West strongly support, in many cases without meaning to, one of the most fundamental insights of the East: that the individual self is more like a fictional character than a real thing.

Why does all this matter? Unfortunately, we will experience great mental pain, misery and frustration. To mistake the voice in our head for a thing and to label it 'me' brings us into conflict with the neuropsychological evidence that there is no such thing.

This error - this illusory sense of self - is the primary cause of our mental suffering. If you can't sleep at night, are you worrying about someone else's problems, or are your problems keeping you awake?

Most of us worry about work, money, and relationship problems. What would happen if we removed the 'I' from these problems?

I distinguish between mental suffering and physical pain. Pain occurs in the body and is a physical reaction - like when you stub your toe or break your arm.

The hell I am talking about happens only in the mind and describes things like worry, anger, fear, regret, jealousy, shame and other negative mental states. I know it's a big claim to say that all these kinds of suffering result from a fictitious sense of self.

But the essence of this idea is brilliantly captured by the Taoist philosopher and author Wei Wu Wei when he writes:

"Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent of everything you think and do is for yourself -there's no such thing."

Add info)

//Discussion//

Q1. Please tell us briefly about 5 points about the "state of selflessness" in Buddhism.

A1->

1. Anatta or No-Self: One of the fundamental concepts in Buddhism is "Anatta" or "Anatman," which translates to "no-self." This concept suggests that living beings have no unchanging, permanent self, soul, or essence. It directly contradicts the Hindu belief in Atman or the eternal soul.

2. Impermanence: The concept of no-self is closely tied to the Buddhist principle of impermanence, which states that all phenomena, including beings, are in a constant state of change. This continuous flux means that no stable self persists over time.

3. Dependent Origination: The Buddhist concept of "dependent origination" (Pratītyasamutpāda) also supports the idea of no self. It suggests that all phenomena arise in dependence upon multiple causes and conditions, and nothing exists as an independent, solitary entity. This includes our "self," a collection of constantly changing physical and mental components.

4. Five Aggregates: Buddhism breaks down the concept of self into five aggregates or "skandhas": form, sensation, perception, mental formations, and consciousness. None of these components is permanent, and none can exist independently, further emphasising the concept of no-self.

5. Liberation from Suffering: Understanding and accepting the concept of no-self is seen as a critical step towards achieving Nirvana, the ultimate goal in Buddhism. Realising that the "self" is an illusion, one can detach from desires and expectations tied to this false sense of self, leading to liberation from suffering (Dukkha).

Q2. In contrast to the Western Descartesian philosophy of "I think, therefore I am", there is the Buddhist philosophy of "no self".

Could you compare these two ways of thinking and list three characteristics?

-> Sure, here are three characteristics that compare the Western Descartesian philosophy of "I think, therefore I am" with the Buddhist philosophy of "no self":

1. Concept of Self: Descartes' philosophy is rooted in the belief in a stable, independent self. His famous statement, "I think, therefore I am," implies that the act of thinking confirms the existence of a self. On the other hand, Buddhism posits that there is no permanent, independent self. The self is seen as a transient, changing phenomenon, a collection of perceptions, feelings, and mental formations that are constantly in flux.

2. Role of Thought: In Descartes' philosophy, thought is the proof of existence. It is the act of thinking that confirms the presence of the self. In contrast, thoughts are just one part of the transient self in Buddhism. They are not seen as proof of a permanent self but are instead part of the ever-changing flow of experience.

3. Path to Enlightenment: Descartes' philosophy does not necessarily provide a path to enlightenment or liberation. It is more of a philosophical assertion about the nature of existence. In contrast, the Buddhist concept of "no self" is part of a broader spiritual path. Understanding and accepting the idea of "no self" is crucial to achieving Nirvana, the ultimate liberation from suffering.

Q3. In Buddhism, there are "somethings" that cannot be controlled by oneself, such as "no self", "impermanence of all things", and "Engi (=Dependent, Co-Arising)". For better or for worse, things change over time and never stop. Before you are born, you are nothing; after you die, you return to nothingness. Life seems like a fleeting dream. A person loses consciousness when going to bed every day and can wake up in the morning.

Does Buddhism teach us how we should live our lives? Please tell me 5 points in an easy-to-understand manner.

-> Certainly, Buddhism provides some teachings on how to live a meaningful and fulfilling life. Here are five key points:

1. Practice Mindfulness: Buddhism encourages us to live in the present moment and be fully aware of our thoughts, feelings, and actions. This practice, known as mindfulness, helps us to appreciate the present and avoid becoming overly attached to the past or anxious about the future.

2. Cultivate Compassion: Buddhism teaches that compassion towards all beings, including oneself, is a fundamental virtue. By understanding and empathising with the suffering of others, we can act in ways that alleviate suffering and promote happiness.

3. Follow the Eightfold Path: The Eightfold Path is a set of guidelines for ethical living, which includes proper understanding, right thought, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. By following these guidelines, we can live in harmony with others and ourselves.

4. Embrace Impermanence: Buddhism teaches that everything is impermanent and constantly changing. By accepting this, we can release attachments and fears that cause suffering. This acceptance can also help us appreciate the preciousness of each moment.

5. Practice Meditation: Meditation is a critical practice in Buddhism that helps cultivate mindfulness and concentration. It allows us to observe our thoughts and feelings without judgment, leading to greater self-understanding and peace of mind.

*"Engi" is often misunderstood as a sign of good or bad luck, but it was originally an abbreviation of "causal occurrence", meaning "the result of the cause". It shows that all phenomena and things do not exist alone but are caused by innumerable relationships (edges).

"Engi" does not mean luck or meeting when you say "get a relationship". Engi means that different things happen simultaneously and depend on each other to create a phenomenon.

https://tossyan.com/book-buddha-english/

Add info No2)

//New words//

Comparable: Similar in nature, qualities, or status. Example: "Her skill level is comparable to that of a professional."

Pilot: Someone who operates the flying controls of an aircraft. Example: "The pilot safely landed the plane despite the storm."

Byproduct: Something produced in the making of something else. Example: "Sawdust is a byproduct of woodworking."

Align: To arrange in a straight line or bring into proper coordination. Example: "We need to align our goals for the project."

Hemisphere: Half of a sphere, often used to refer to half of the Earth. Example: "Australia is located in the Southern Hemisphere."

Interpret: To explain the meaning of something. Example: "He interpreted the data from the experiment."

Equated: Considered as the same as something else. Example: "He equated happiness with wealth."

Incessant: Continuing without pause or interruption. Example: "The incessant noise from the construction site was annoying."

Concise: Give a lot of information clearly and in a few words. Example: "She gave a concise summary of the book."

Granted: Given or allowed. Example: "Granted permission, the children went to the park."

Stable: Not likely to change or fail; firmly established. Example: "The patient's condition is now stable."

Continuous: Forming an unbroken whole; without interruption. Example: "The continuous humming of the refrigerator was soothing."

Perceive: To become aware or conscious of something. Example: "She perceived a threat in his words."

Taoism: A Chinese philosophy based on the writings of Lao-tzu, advocating humility and religious piety. Example: "Taoism teaches the art of living in harmony with the Tao."

The Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism: A sub-school of Vedanta Hinduism that believes in the idea of the soul's oneness with the ultimate reality. Example: "The Advaita Vedanta school of Hinduism emphasises the concept of non-duality."

Convincing: Able to persuade someone to believe something is true or act. Example: "She gave a convincing argument in her debate."

Tenets: Principles or beliefs that are held to be true. Example: "Non-violence is one of the key tenets of Buddhism."

Radical: Relating to or affecting the fundamental nature of something. Example: "The company needs a radical change in its business model."

Nonsensical: Having no meaning; making no sense. Example: "His nonsensical ramblings were hard to understand."

Contradict: Deny the truth of (a statement) by asserting the opposite. Example: "His actions contradict his words."

Reinvent: Change something so much that it appears to be entirely new. Example: "She reinvented herself after moving to a new city."

Resemble: Have qualities or features, especially those of appearance, in common with (someone or something). Example: "She resembles her mother in appearance."

Coherent: Logical and consistent. Example: "He presented a coherent argument in his essay."

Implication: The conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated. Example: "The implication is that no one person at the bank is responsible."

Neuropsychologist: A professional who studies the structure and function of the brain related to specific psychological processes and behaviours. Example: "The neuropsychologist conducted a series of tests to understand the patient's cognitive abilities."

Exception: A person or thing excluded from a general statement or does not follow a rule. Example: "He always follows the rules, with no exceptions."

Assumed: Supposed to be the case, without proof. Example: "He assumed that she would agree with him."

Grasp: Understand fully. Example: "She quickly grasped the new concepts."

Genuine: Truly what something is said to be; authentic. Example: "His genuine concern for her wellbeing was touching."

Narrate: Give a spoken or written account. Example: "He narrated the events of the afternoon."

Halve: Divide into two parts of equal or roughly equal size. Example: "She halved the apple."

The corpus callosum: The large band of neural fibres connecting the two brain hemispheres and carrying messages between them. Example: "The corpus callosum plays a crucial role in communication between the brain's two hemispheres."

Mitigate: Make it less severe, serious, or painful. Example: "He tried to mitigate the situation by apologising."

Epilepsy: A neurological disorder marked by sudden recurrent episodes of sensory disturbance, loss of consciousness, or convulsions, associated with abnormal electrical activity in the brain. Example: "Epilepsy can often be controlled with medication."

Seizure: A sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbance in the brain. Example: "He had a seizure and was taken to the hospital."

Disrupted: Interrupted or disturbed. Example: "The storm disrupted the satellite signal."

Vice versa: With the main items in the preceding statement, the other way around. Example: "Just because you're older than me doesn't mean you're wiser, and vice versa."

Plausible: Seeming reasonable or probable. Example: "His story was plausible, so we believed him."

Complied: Acted by a wish or command. Example: "She complied with the rules."

An untrustworthy interpreter: Someone or something that explains or translates but cannot be relied upon for accuracy. Example: "The machine was an untrustworthy interpreter of the complex data."

Aroused: Evoked or awakened. Example: "The strange symbols aroused his curiosity."

Authenticity: The quality of being authentic; genuineness. Example: "The authenticity of the document was confirmed."

Retain: Continue to have (something); keep possession of. Example: "He retains a strong affection for the place."

Intrusive: Causing disruption or annoyance through being unwelcome or uninvited. Example: "The intrusive noise from the construction site was disturbing."

10)

Akin: Of similar character. Example: "Something akin to gratitude overwhelmed her."

This illusory sense of self: A false perception or belief of one's identity. Example: "He was struggling with his illusory sense of self."

Distinguishing: Characterising or identifying as different. Example: "His distinguishing feature is his bright red hair."

Stub: The remaining part of something after the central region has been removed or used. Example: "He flicked his cigarette stub into the street."

Fictitious sense: Not real or true, being imaginary or having been fabricated. Example: "The story was based on a fictitious sense of reality."

Eastern philosophy says there is no "self." Science agrees

"Why are you unhappy? Because 99.9 per cent of everything you think and do is for yourself -and there isn't one."

https://bigthink.com/the-well/eastern-philosophy-neuroscience-no-self/

Carl Jung & Buddhism On The Unconscious

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9yEEre8qOYo&t=212s

What is the unconscious, and do you have one? Jungian psychology and the Yogācāra school of Buddhism investigated the depths of the human psyche. Both proposed the existence of a hidden layer beneath our everyday conscious mind. In how they understood this hidden (unconscious) mind, Jung and the Buddhists we were agreed on some essential points but not all. The similarities of their views and differences give us fascinating insights into the functioning of our psyches.

"Dependent origination," or "Dependent arising" - Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prat%C4%ABtyasamutp%C4%81da

Pratītyasamutpāda, or dependent origination, is a fundamental Buddhist doctrine asserting that all phenomena arise interdependently. This principle, which applies to all conditioned phenomena, is contrasted with the Western concept of causation, emphasising the multifactorial nature of change. It has ontological, epistemological, and phenomenological implications, underscoring all phenomena' impermanence and lack of inherent essence. The doctrine is linked to rebirth, the cycle of suffering, and the potential for liberation through understanding and breaking this cycle.

//Postscript//

I believe that this article's point is as follows:

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*"Engi(=Dependent, Co-Arising)" is often misunderstood as a sign of good or bad luck, but it was originally an abbreviation of "causal occurrence", meaning "the result of the cause". It shows that all phenomena and things do not exist alone but are caused by innumerable relationships (edges).

"Engi" does not mean only luck or a good meeting when you say "get a relationship". Engi means that different things happen simultaneously and depend on each other to create a phenomenon.

==================

In other words, we cannot decide or judge our lives alone.

Rather than saying, "no self", everything flows with time, including myself, depending on the other person, the surroundings, the environment, nature, and the universe.

It doesn't matter if something goes well or not.

Instead, things cannot be decided by one's own power alone.

It's not about giving up or being lazy.

Neither pessimistic nor optimistic.

We need to do as much as we can do best.

It doesn't matter if everything in the world seems hopeless or if you're at the height of your happiness with all the fame and money.

We live our limited lives to the fullest with benevolence.