Post by zee on Dec 7, 2017 21:31:32 GMT
Schneider's point
Review Butt’s description of Schneider, the World War I veteran who lost the ability to locate himself in time and space (original description pp. 98/99). What point is Butt trying to make about the self by his reference to Schneider in relation to the concept of the existential self (pp. 130/131)?
The existential self proposes there is no essence of the self but rather humans create meaning for themselves through interacting with the meaningless world. Butt is trying to make the point that the existential concept of the self is primarily driven by pre-reflective interactions with the world. He uses Schneider who lost the ability to locate himself in time and space when he is told to touch is nose but can easily find it when his nose is tickled. Being told to touch his nose is an assertion requiring cognitive reflection whereas tickling the nose is causing neurons in the body to pre-reflectively respond to the tickling stimulus. Because Schneider's behavior supports Butt's idea that the self is constructed through pre-reflective interactions, it also supports the idea of the existential self where humans are in the act of being and presently creating meaning for themselves rather than have an innate essence of the self. Schneider does not know where is nose is innately but does only when he receives an external stimuli; this is where Schneider is in the act of being and making meaning with his surroundings.
Review Butt’s description of Schneider, the World War I veteran who lost the ability to locate himself in time and space (original description pp. 98/99). What point is Butt trying to make about the self by his reference to Schneider in relation to the concept of the existential self (pp. 130/131)?
The existential self proposes there is no essence of the self but rather humans create meaning for themselves through interacting with the meaningless world. Butt is trying to make the point that the existential concept of the self is primarily driven by pre-reflective interactions with the world. He uses Schneider who lost the ability to locate himself in time and space when he is told to touch is nose but can easily find it when his nose is tickled. Being told to touch his nose is an assertion requiring cognitive reflection whereas tickling the nose is causing neurons in the body to pre-reflectively respond to the tickling stimulus. Because Schneider's behavior supports Butt's idea that the self is constructed through pre-reflective interactions, it also supports the idea of the existential self where humans are in the act of being and presently creating meaning for themselves rather than have an innate essence of the self. Schneider does not know where is nose is innately but does only when he receives an external stimuli; this is where Schneider is in the act of being and making meaning with his surroundings.