Self and World [Paperback]

Self and Worldis an exploration of the nature of self-awareness. Cassam rejects the widespread view that the self eludes introspection, and argues that consciousness of our thoughts and experiences involves a sense of our thinking, experiencing selves as shaped, solid, and located physical objects in a world of such objects. This clear, original, and challenging treatment of one of the deepest of intellectual problems will demand the attention of all philosophers and cognitive scientists who are concerned with the self.

1. Self and World
2. The Objectivity Argument
3. The Unity Argument
4. The Identity Argument
5. Reductionism
Bibliography; Index

Extraordinarily clear, thorough, balanced, accurate, and judicious. Cassam's book significantly advances our understanding of these questions. --Derek Parfit

In this book Cassam argues for the thesis that a necessary part of being conscious of oneself as a subject of thought and experience is the being conscious of oneself as a corporeal object among others. The sustained and intricate argument refers both to such great predecessors as Descartes, Locke, Hume, and Kant and to many of our own contemporaries. Rarely, if ever, has the intractable problem of self-consciousness been handled with such thoroughness, subtlety, and precision. Dr. Cassam's book will be indispensable to any philosopher concerned with this difficult topic. --Sir Peter Strawson

Quassim Cassam has been Lecturer in Philosophy at Oxford University, and Fellow and Tutor in Philosophy at Wadham College, Oxford, since 1986. In 1993 he was Visiting Associate Professor at the University of California, Berkeley. He is the editor of the volume onSelf-Knowledgein theOxfordReadings in Philosophyseries (1994).