Our Understanding of the Self

Paper Summary:

The paper discusses the belief that the self is relatively durable, that it remains in some essential way the same over time. The paper explores how Haffner and Delbo call this common assumption into question. The paper discusses Delbo's horrific account of her experience in Nazi concentration camps and Haffner's narrative of the Third Reich. The paper shows how these two authors impact our understanding of the self, suggesting that the self lacks many of the qualities we may have assumed it to have.

From the Paper:

"Our understanding of the self varies from person to person. However, many people would agree that the self is relatively durable, some kind of fixed entity that reacts to external circumstances, based on a set of moral values, which remains in some essential way the same over time. We reminisce about the past, and think thoughts such as "I was really young and stupid back then" - but although this kind of thought acknowledges the changes we have undergone, it nevertheless implies that the "I" is still essentially the same. In other words, the self is durable."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Delbo, Charlotte. (1995). Auschwitz and After. New Haven and London: Yale University Press.
• Haffner, Sebastian. (2000). Defying Hitler: A Memoir. New York: Picador.

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