Where does your sense of self come from? A scientific look | Anil Ananthaswamy

TED Health

TED

Health & Fitness, Fitness, Shoshana Ungerleider, Medicine, How To Be Healthier, Ted Shoshana, Ted Talks Health

4.2 • 1.5K Ratings

🗓️ 18 April 2023

⏱️ 14 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our memories and bodies give us clues about who we are, but what happens when this guidance shifts? In this mind-bending talk, science writer Anil Ananthaswamy shares how the experiences of "altered selves" -- resulting from schizophrenia, Alzheimer's, foreign limb syndrome or other conditions -- shed light on the constructed nature of identity. He breaks down where our sense of self comes from and invites us to challenge our assumptions about who we are, with the aim of building a better you and a better world.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Ted Audio Collective
0:13.0	Hey listeners, this is Ted Health. I'm Dr. Shoshana Ungerleiter.
0:17.0	Who am I? Is my sense of self just a trick of the mind?
0:22.0	It's a complex question, but science writer and Neil Anantaswamy tackles it head on in his intriguing
0:28.0	Ted 2022 talk. Drawing upon his research and personal experiences,
0:34.0	a Neil explores the mysteries of the human mind and consciousness.
0:38.0	He challenges us to consider how our brains construct our identity
0:42.0	and how this process is influenced by our surroundings and our experiences.
0:47.0	Stick around for this thought provoking journey into the depths of self-awareness.
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1:10.0	Every week, she'll introduce you to leaders with unique insights on work,
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1:27.0	About a decade ago, I met someone who had experienced a few episodes of schizophrenia.
1:35.0	They had felt that their sense of self, of what it feels like to be them, changing somewhat.
1:43.0	The boundaries of their body began to feel a bit nebulous.
1:47.0	Even their psychological self felt a bit porous at times.
1:52.0	They were experiencing what could be called an altered sense of self.
1:57.0	Over the years, I met many such brave and insightful people who shared what it's like to live with their altered selves.
	...

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