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I'll be there from around 7pm if anyone would like a social chat before we get started.

What do we mean by the "self"?

To what extent are we defined by our bodies? Could we imagine ourselves without a body? Or in a different body?

Similarly, to what extent are we defined by our history and our memories? Could we imagine "ourselves" without any memories? What of people who have lost their memories in various ways (like brain injuries or dementia), do they cease to be "themselves"? Or at least the people they once were?

Many of us feel that there is some nugget which is quintessentially us, yet neuroscience and psychology has so far failed to find any evidence for this. Why do some (most?) people hold onto this sense of self?

What relation do we have to our previous and future selves? To what extent are we the same person, is there anything about us that stays the same?

To what extent are we defined by our character traits?
How consistent are we in similar situations? To what extent does that make us predictable by those who know us?
What is happening when we act “out of character” or when we “are not feeling ourselves”?

Buddha is quoted as saying: “Wise people fashion themselves”. To what extent can we control who we are – building attributes we choose to have, and excluding those we prefer not to have? To what extent can we “fake it ‘til we make it”? Or is such behaviour “putting on an act” which those who know prior versions of ourselves can “see through”?
In this context, what does it mean to be “authentic”?

Assuming that we are able to, should we attempt to "fashion ourselves"? And even if we can, and should, who or what is choosing the style we attempt to fashion ourselves in? And on what basis is that choice being made?

In what ways (if any) might we consider the self to be an “illusion”?

Does a contemporary scientific/philosophical analysis of "self" leave any room for a "soul"? What might that mean? Is contemporary thought missing something?
Is there any sense in which aspects of the self exist before birth or after death of the body?

Is it conceivable that a "self" could ever be downloaded to a machine of some sort in the future?

There is much to consider here. Some preparation would enhance our discussion. Here are some links you might find useful:

Looking forward to sharing our views on these issues.

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