It seems to me that I am the bearer or owner of experience. However, this impression is misleading. If I am external to experience (that is, if what I am is not reducible to the way in which I appear in the present experience), then I can’t know with absolute certainty that I exist. But I do. Hence I am not external to experience, and a fortiori I am not the external bearer of experience. If I am internal to experience, then what I am is reducible to the way in which I appear in the present experience. However, if I am a part of experience, I can’t be its owner or bearer, for an owner or bearer of something can’t be a part of what it bears or owns. Therefore, I am not the internal bearer of experience.
Zanetti, L. (2025). I am not the bearer of experience. PHENOMENOLOGY AND MIND, 29, 1-8.
I am not the bearer of experience
Luca Zanetti
2025
Abstract
It seems to me that I am the bearer or owner of experience. However, this impression is misleading. If I am external to experience (that is, if what I am is not reducible to the way in which I appear in the present experience), then I can’t know with absolute certainty that I exist. But I do. Hence I am not external to experience, and a fortiori I am not the external bearer of experience. If I am internal to experience, then what I am is reducible to the way in which I appear in the present experience. However, if I am a part of experience, I can’t be its owner or bearer, for an owner or bearer of something can’t be a part of what it bears or owns. Therefore, I am not the internal bearer of experience.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
