| Summary: | 碩士 === 國立陽明大學 === 心智哲學研究所 === 101 === Do autistic patients lack self-consciousness? Before answering this question, we must consider the primary question: what is self-consciousness? Both questions are related to the definition of the self and consciousness. Therefore, I will discuss the definitions first. Then, I will review the theories of self-consciousness, and the problems of those theories. In the third part, I will argue for my idea of self-consciousness. At last, trying to answer whether autistic patients lack self-consciousness.
In general, there are two kinds of self-consciousness: pre-reflective self-consciousness and reflective self-consciousness. Some philosophers, such as Jean-Paul Sartre, argue that pre-reflective self-consciousness is a part of consciousness, including in all the experience. On the other hand, reflective self-consciousness is related to the ability of using ‘I-thoughts.’ Moreover, if the organism have the ability of using ‘I-thoughts,’ the organism have the ability to know the existence of the subject of experience.
However, according to the mirror recognition test, we can find out that some organism which can pass the test can know the existence of the subject of experience, but without having the ability of using ‘I-thoughts.’ Hence, there must be the other kind of self-consciousness, which is different from both kinds of self-consciousness which is mentioned above. I will call this ‘weak reflective self-consciousness.’ Besides, to make is clearly, I will call the self-consciousness which is related to the ability of using ‘I-thoughts’ -- ‘strong reflective self-consciousness.’
In the end, I will argue that autistic patients can have pre-reflective self-consciousness and weak reflective self-consciousness. In addition, only the patients who have language impairment may lack their strong reflective self-consciousness.
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