Autonomy includes self-determination. A person is self-determined if she acts on her beliefs and desires. Self-determination distinguishes autonomy from both heteronomy and anomy: Hetermonomous actions depend on exterior influences and duress. Anomic actions is oriented neither on self-given principles nor on exterior guidelines.
The project elaborates on the central assumption that an adequate description of mental processes requires a manifold of explanations on the neural, psychological, and the philosophical level. Moreover, it focuses on sensible definitions and the meaning of these levels. A pluralism of several irreducible perspectives is a prerequisite for a feasible conception of mind and brain. The project aims to demonstrate this with regard to the notions of self-consciousness, and perspective. For one thing, the research interest concentrates on social interaction as a crucial element on the way to understanding the phenomenology, the function, and the genesis of selfconsciousness. For another thing, the focus lies on understanding the genesis of philosophical thinking in perspectives.