Thomas Metzinger

The self is not a thing but a process.

Or rather, we are “selfing” organisms: At the very moment we wake up in the morning, the physical system—that is, ourselves—starts the process of “selfing.” A new chain of conscious events begins; once again, on a higher level of complexity, the life process comes to itself.

A “self ” in any stronger or metaphysically interesting sense of the word just does not seem to exist. We must face this fact: We are self-less Ego Machines

subjective experience is a biological data format

Out there, in front of your eyes, there is just an ocean of electromagnetic radiation, a wild and raging mixture of different wavelengths.

What is really happening is that the visual system in your brain is drilling a tunnel through this inconceivably rich physical environment and in the process is painting the tunnel walls in various shades of color. Phenomenal color. Appearance. For your conscious eyes only.

there is no little man inside the head

We could say that the system as a whole (the Ego Machine), or the organism using this brain-constructed conscious self-model, can be called a “self.”

Since our inbuilt existential need for full emotional and physical security can never be fulfilled, we have a strong drive toward delusion and bizarre belief systems.

as you were reading these last several paragraphs, you—the organism as a whole—were continuously mistaking yourself for the content of the self-model currently activated by your brain.