Pre-reflectivity
When you look into a mirror,
how can you explain
that it is truly you
that you see there?
Pre-reflectivity
The concept of pre-reflectivity goes back to Sartre's talk conscience de soi et connaissance de soi
(1947) and describes the idea that every reflective state of consciousness is based on a pre-reflective consciousness and not directly on an unconscious.
A theory of pre-reflective self-consciousness (TOPS) tries to fulfill the de-se-constraint, which states that an adequate theory of self-consciousness needs to be able to explain how the very basis of subjectivity arises. It further states that all reflective approaches to self-consciousness will inevitably lead to a vicious circle of explanation.
Despite the very interesting debate on how to exactly define pre-reflectivity, my current research investigates the application of pre-reflectivity to cognitive deviations found in clinical psychology as well as dreaming.
„Il y a un „cogito“ pré-réflexif qui est la condition du “cogito” cartésien. Toute conscience positionnelle d’object est nécessairement conscience non-positionnelle de soi.”
(Sartre, 1947)
COLLABORATIONS
I am very thankful for collaborations with:
Prof. Dr. Dr. Manfred Frank
(Bielefeld University, Germany)
Prof. Dr. Kenneth Williford
(UT Arlington, TX, USA)
Prof. Dr. Gerhad Preyer
(Frankfurt University, Germany)