TEDxYouth@Manchester 2011 - Julian Baggini - Is There A Real You?

One of the best known philosophers in the UK, Julian will ask the question 'Is There A Real You? He will draw on the research supporting his latest book 'The Ego Trick' and challenge our audience to reflect on their understanding of the 'Self'.

[groovebot]

"Life isn't about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself."

George Bernard Shaw

[MarcelloNesca]

This is THE best TED talk i've seen this year for 2014. I love Philosophy and Psychology, and I love it when these two disciplines intertwine and compliment each other!

[cutifat]

Yes, so very liberating perspective. Bravo!
Wish I had the chance to listen to such a brilliant speech when I was a teenager.

[jbarbeau]

Whether or not you've already figured this or something like this out in the past, I find it's always interesting and useful to see how someone else expresses a thought or idea you already have. Listening to other perspectives isn't just about learning new things, but seeing familiar things in a different light.

[Lovebug]

This was very enlightening. Unlike the others, I didn't figure this out earlier. So, thanks for sharing.

[joebazooks]

To me, as opposed to the self, the individual, and the persona, the I am is a formless presence that assumes form, and that is who and what I am; this is the coherency of my total life experience, a constant essence.

[dumbo]

@mremgee Organic chemistry implies a Carbon where a backbone either meets/branches, or angles away. It keeps it from getting too crowded with letters, since O-chem always has Carbon involved (typically Hydrogen are also implied, but sometimes not).

[hardlinemonk]

Wow what an incredibly intelligent yet simple conclusion. Why didn't I think about this concept? Also a freaky realization that permanence / the metaphorical "soul" now appears to be much more unlikely. We are simply a collection of experiences and ideas adopted from others in the past. "If you have a memory transplant are you the same person...?" Oh the things that keep me up at night!!

[tbayley]

Baggini talks about the things we can observe in ourselves - memories, knowledge, desires, etc - and he says that just like there is no 'essence of wrist-watch' beyond the assembly of watch parts, there is no essence of the self. However, nowhere in this talk does he mention the awareness and the observation of all these things, including the watch and the observed parts of the personality. It is surely this awareness that is the common thread behind all the observables, which is also the source of the sense of existence and presence and 'I'. I have found this sense of presence is strong in good and wise and trustworthy people, so it is worth encouraging it in young people. I wish our educators would stop ignoring it.

[Blopblipblap]

Sceptical at first, but nonetheless there is a case to be made for the idea that there is not a significant innate 'self'. Rather, as he concludes, the idea that our 'self' is a combination of experiences, beliefs and memories also prompts the realization that one can shape his own form of 'self'. Instead of having to discover who he really is deep inside, he can influence who he is. This is both liberating and empowering.

[zweiosterei]

A very old subject but a goodie. This guy is simply right.

[sparkbd]

Was a nice talk, hope he keeps searching

[wildist]

@Mewsie I agree, I think he missed this vital observation in his talk. There's the phenomenon of self, but then there's the awareness of all phenomenon which isn't a 'thing' that can be observed.

[SuperAnimalDrummer]

we are the awareness behind our thoughts - Eckhart Tolle

[songbird]

I love how he speaks so casually while my brain explodes in response to this philosophy I've never even considered before.

[sketchup]

Those who seek will never find, ...the more one seeks, the more the universe rearranges itself to accomodate ones desire to seek.

[linkdude]

@Foryeva Yeah...or watch it. "A Conversation with Myself" is viewable here.

[livefast]

@HefecTikva
we are constantly experiencing contradictions with our desires, we want something and at the same time we are embarrassed of wanting it because of psychological issues, social conditioning etc..apart from 'creating ourselves' we also have to 'live as ourselves', and to do that we have to (not find, but rather) *listen* to ourselves.. listen to what we have previously created..a deep inner procedure where you give voice to who you are, transcending all the social filters etc

[TheKlaun]

I feel so much pain looking at the picture of "water"

[jacman]

Our opinions are based on our experiences. One experience influences the other.