The question of the self – that is, the questions of who we are, how we become who we are, and why we change throughout our lives – is one of the oldest and most intriguing questions of human thought. Researchers in many scientific disciplines, primarily philosophy, sociology, psychology, and neuroscience, address the question of how our identity is formed and what biological, psychological, and social processes are responsible for its shaping and transformation. And it is precisely the question of how different philosophical and scientific theories attempt to explain how we experience our self that is at the center of the book Self: From One to Many and Back to None (Belgrade, IDN, 2024) by Dr. Janko Nešić, which serves as the starting point for this conversation.
A multi-disciplinary perspective on the question of the self and identity provides different answers to the question of whether our self is the result of biological predispositions and cognitive structures, or if it is primarily a product of the social relationships, language, and culture in which we grow up. Do we possess a stable core identity, or is it constantly reshaped by experiences, decisions, and life circumstances? Neuroscience for example holds that brain development, genetics, and memory systems, as well as emotions and personal dispositions, play a key role in how we experience ourselves and the world around us, while social sciences emphasize that identity is shaped through interaction with others: through family, education, social institutions, and cultural patterns that offer us models of behavior and self-understanding. According to this view, the self is not predefined, but is constantly shaped through relationships and social context.
The philosophical perspective further raises the question of whether the self is an unchangeable essence that endures through time or a narrative that we constantly construct anew, for example through memory and the interpretation of social and historical events that influence the transformations of our own identity.
Through this conversation, we aim to open a space for dialogue between different scientific approaches to this topic and to examine the multidimensional, dynamic process that influences the human self. In addition to the author, the speakers will be Milan Urošević, a researcher at the Institute for Philosophy and Social Theory, and Ljiljana Radenović, full professor at the Faculty of Philosophy of the Univertsity of Belgrade. The conversation will be moderated by Irena Ristić.
Janko Nešić is a senior researcher at the Center for Philosophy of the Institute for Social Sciences. He works on topics at the intersection of phenomenology, philosophy of mind, and cognitive science, and his primary field of research is the philosophy of psychiatry. His research is focused on finding an integrative approach to autism spectrum disorders that would encompass insights from phenomenology, cognitive science, and enactivism theory. Such an approach would lead to a better understanding of autism, and to broader possibilities for various forms of intervention and (psycho)therapy for the difficulties faced by individuals with autism.
The series “Conversations about books of the Institute of Social Sciences – Let’s talk about…” is dedicated to IDN publications. Through discussions with the authors, we examine the results of their research, consider the broader scientific and social context of the book’s topic, and assess its relevance to society and public policies. The editor of the series is Dr Irena Ristić (IDN).