Neuroscience and Self in Interdisciplinary Dialogue

Within the framework of theological anthropology, a robust answer to the question "what is a human being? " necessarily requires more than a detailed explication of physical, biological parts.1 Yet, theological treatments should engage empirical evidence about these constituent parts to anchor models of persons around what is empirically observable.2 To facilitate the necessary interdisciplinary dialogue for such a robust treatment of persons, this article provides a brief overview of select neuroscience literature on self. Specifically, I provide an initial introduction to measuring neural activity and the brain's default mode network (DMN), a region of the brain associated with internal, self-related thoughts dissociated from external input. Some researchers have suggested that the DMN is what makes the "self " special; rather than the self being a higher-order composite construct, it may be foundational to the brain's operations.3 Although the role of the DMN in understanding self has not reached scientific consensus, a consideration of the DMN and the results of its dysfunction may stimulate interdisciplinary dialogue in at least two ways related to questions of selves. First, given the ongoing discussion about the proper interpretation of DMN data, this area may benefit from non-empirical, interdisciplinary contributions toward understanding selves. Second, the centrality of the DMN to selves suggests a healthy DMN is necessary (though not sufficient) for a healthy self. Practices for healthy DMN functioning can contribute to and be enriched by philosophical and theological perspectives about telos and Christian practice.