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Thomas Metzinger

Thomas Metzinger Quotes

Philosopher

Thomas Metzinger is a German philosopher born on March 12, 1958. His research focuses on the philosophy of consciousness and cognitive science, particularly on the nature and function of consciousness. Metzinger is known for his in-depth exploration of phenomenology, philosophy of mind, and scientific philosophy.

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All Self Firsts Conscious Persons Humans Models Subjective Thinking Believe Consciousness First Person Ifs Mean Mind Perspective Phenomenal Reality Action Body Brain

Famous Thomas Metzinger Quotes

“Conscious experience as such is an exclusively internal affair: Once all functional properties of your brain are fixed, the character of subjective experience is determined as well.”

Wells Character Brain Conscious Property Affair Determined Fixed Internals Subjective Internal Affairs

Author:Thomas Metzinger

“What many people don't see is that there are abundant examples of phenomenal opacity: It is one of the most interesting features of the human conscious model of reality that, first, it can contain elements that are not experienced as mind-independent, as unequivocally real, as immediately given, and second, that there is a "gradient of realness" in which one and the same content can be experienced transparently or in an opaque fashion.”

People Mind Firsts Humans Real Reality Given Interesting Fashion Example Elements Models Conscious Independent Features Most Interesting Phenomenal Opaque Realness

Author:Thomas Metzinger

“I believe we should really take our own phenomenology more seriously. What a good theory of conscious must explain is the variance in this subjective sense of realness: There clearly is a phenomenology of "hyperrealness", for example during religious experiences or under the influence of certain psychoactive substances.”

Should Believe Certain I Believe Religious Influence Example Theory Conscious Substance Subjective Religious Experience Phenomenology Realness Variance

Author:Thomas Metzinger

“The notion of a conscious model of oneself as an individual entity actively trying to establish epistemic relations to the world and to oneself, I think, comes very close to what we traditionally mean by notions like "subjectivity".”

Thinking World Trying Mean Individual Models Conscious Relation Notion Oneself Entity Subjectivity

Author:Thomas Metzinger

“As far as inner action is concerned, we are only rarely truly self-determined persons, for the major part of our conscious mental activity rather is an automatic, unintentional form of behavior on the subpersonal level.”

Persons Self Action Form Levels Activity Behavior Majors Conscious Concerned Determined

Author:Thomas Metzinger

“The conscious experience of being a subject arises when a single organism learns to enslave itself.”

Subjects Conscious Arise Organisms

Book:The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self

Source: The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the Self

About the Author

Born: March 12, 1958
Known for: Philosopher
Quotes: 38

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Self Firsts Conscious Persons Humans Models Subjective Thinking Believe Consciousness First Person Ifs Mean Mind Perspective Phenomenal Reality Action Body Brain

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The Ego Tunnel: The Science of the Mind and the Myth of the SelfRelated source material

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