
Anatomy of an Avatar
The virtual self in pathologies of self awareness
Philip Gerrans(Author)
Oxford University Press
Published on 19. September 2024
Book
Paperback/Softback
240 pages
978-0-19-888664-8 (ISBN)
Description
This book applies a powerful framework in computational neuroscience (predictive coding and active inference) to explain psychiatric disorders that are characterised by pathologies of self-awareness. It shows how the self is best conceived of as an avatar or model made by the brain for the fundamental purpose of optimising basic bodily function. That avatar integrates and coordinates neurocomputation across the mind. It allows the mind to anticipate and respond to sensory information that bears on the organism's prospects. The self is thus a model (avatar) made by the brain to allow the body to play the game of life. When activity in circuitry that implements the avatar is compromised a variety of psychiatric disorders result.
Anatomy of an Avatar provides a theoretical framework for theories of embodied selfhood anchored in homoestatic regulation, as well as exploring psychiatric disorders involving the self and the empirical application of concepts of free energy minimisation, active inference and predictive processing. The book also includes key case studies in the cognitive neuropsychiatry of self awareness and test cases for philosophical concepts of self representation and the experience of self awareness.
The book will be essential reading for those in the fields of psychology and consciousness, psychiatry, and philosophy.
Anatomy of an Avatar provides a theoretical framework for theories of embodied selfhood anchored in homoestatic regulation, as well as exploring psychiatric disorders involving the self and the empirical application of concepts of free energy minimisation, active inference and predictive processing. The book also includes key case studies in the cognitive neuropsychiatry of self awareness and test cases for philosophical concepts of self representation and the experience of self awareness.
The book will be essential reading for those in the fields of psychology and consciousness, psychiatry, and philosophy.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Oxford
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 235 mm
Width: 157 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
449 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-888664-8 (9780198886648)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

E-Book
09/2024
OUP eBook
€43.99
Available for download

E-Book
08/2024
OUP eBook
€43.99
Available for download
Person
Philip Gerrans is a Professor of Philosophy at the University of Adelaide. His work is at the intersection of psychiatry neuroscience and philosophy. He has written on developmental disorders, the emotions, delusions, disorders of self awareness, psychedelic experience and dreams. A unifying theme is the explanatory role of neurocomputational theory.
Content
1: Allostatic Active Inference
2: Material me: Embodiment and self awareness
3: Pain and the avatar
4: Depersonalisation
5: A vessel without a pilot: The Cotard delusion
6: Ego dissolution in psychedelic experience
7: The social self
8: Alienation and identification in addiction
9: Engineering empathy: Emotion and self representation in artificial intelligence
2: Material me: Embodiment and self awareness
3: Pain and the avatar
4: Depersonalisation
5: A vessel without a pilot: The Cotard delusion
6: Ego dissolution in psychedelic experience
7: The social self
8: Alienation and identification in addiction
9: Engineering empathy: Emotion and self representation in artificial intelligence