Dear Chuck,
Given that the parent is aware of the themself as the other of the child, the child is brought to its own attention, by the parent's resistance to the child as a global self. the resistance, by the parent, is the ground of the child's self. This is a model also takes on board the prior existence of language - language is already in the world of the child as a structure that announces and supports the self-other identity.
This self-other identity is also found in the reflective functions of consciousness such that my thoughts are only transparent to me (seen to be my thoughts) when I reflect on them - that is, distance myself from them. Indeed, I can discolse to myself that my thoughts are not in fact mine, but they are someone else's or possibly no one's.
cheers
keith
>>> Charles Burnette <[log in to unmask]> 07/10/09 12:36 PM >>>
On Oct 6, 2009, at 7:01 PM, Keith Russell wrote:
> we have formed our concept of individuality based on a self-other
> awareness, not based on a self alone.
Dear Keith: Where does the conception of otherness arise? Is it not
based on an awareness of self against which otherness is noted? To be
sure, both come to exist in the mind and I suppose you can argue that
a dialectic raises the concept of both at the same time. But I take
the position that the discerning mentality is the one that discovers
and conceptualizes otherness as when an infant recognizes the source
of a stimulus. That can only be the individual mind as it emerges in
the person. Or so I believe.
Our conscious thought is transparent to us is it not? We do not seem
to treat ourselves as other except when we stand outside of our
consciousness and reflect on it. Is that what you mean?
Warm regards,
Chuck
PS: I'll be in Melbourne from November 12 to the 24th. Any chance of a
personal discussion? I realize you are normally 12 hours away.
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