New Publication: A Phenomenological Account of Depersonalization

I am pleased to share that my paper on depersonalization, published last year, is now available for download. You can access it through the following link:

"What is it Like to Be Disconnected from the Body?: A Phenomenological Account of Disembodiment in Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder" [Journal of特 Consciousness Studies, Vol. 25, No. 5-6] Link to Paper

As outlined in the abstract, this paper examines the experience of disembodiment in depersonalization disorder, with a specific focus on the minimal self.

I believe this work will be of interest to those specialized in the phenomenology of embodiment, phenomenological psychopathology, and the philosophy of psychiatry.

I hope you find the paper insightful.

Best, 

Shogo

New Chapter: Reconnecting the Self to the Divine

I am pleased to announce that a new book edited by Dr. Olga Louchakova-Schwartz is set to be published this November. I am honored to have contributed a chapter to this insightful collection, titled "The Problem of Religious Experience."

My contribution is titled:

"[Chapter 2] Reconnecting the Self to the Divine: The Body’s Role in Religious Experience"

Interestingly, this is the first time I have formally explored religious experiences through the lens of embodiment. While my work often focuses on the phenomenology of the body in more secular or psychological contexts, investigating the "divine" through our physical existence has been a profoundly rewarding challenge. For those interested, here is the abstract of my chapter. I hope it sparks some reflection on how our bodies "know" more than we often realize.

[Abstract]

This chapter explores spontaneous religious experiences—those that occur outside traditional religious beliefs or institutions but remain inherently religious in nature. These can range from a deep feeling of unity with nature to the peak states in sports, or even the sudden ecstatic sensation one might feel when listening to a harmonious chorus. Although these moments are not always labeled as "religious," they are intense enough to awaken spiritual feelings. What is experienced as "something beyond the self" may be the foundational source of divinity underlying all religious activity. My goal is to explore this experience from the perspective of the embodied self and the sense of agency. William James (1902) famously listed "passivity" as a hallmark of mystical experience: the feeling that one's actions are guided by "the Other" even while maintaining a sense of agency. In my view, this state originates in the function of the body schema coordinating actions with the environment. Just as the body schema organizes new actions beyond our conscious intentions in unfamiliar situations, the body in spontaneous religious experiences operates beyond habit, acting as if it were following a divine will.

 

Cheers,

Shogo

New Publication: The Bodily Origin of Self-Reflection

I am pleased to announce that my latest chapter will be featured in the upcoming book, Thinking About Oneself: The Place and Value of Reflection in Philosophy and Psychology, edited by Waldomiro J. Silva Filho and Luca Tateo (Springer).

Book Details:

• Title: Thinking About Oneself: The Place and Value of Reflection in Philosophy and Psychology

• Series: Philosophical Studies Series

• Publisher: Springer

• View on Springer's Website

Chapter 9: Bodily origin of self-reflection and its socially extended aspects Shogo Tanaka (Tokai University)

While we often presuppose that reflection is a purely mental act—a tradition stemming from Descartes—I argue that its true origin lies in our bodily experience.

In this chapter, I provide a genetic account of self-reflection through the lens of phenomenology and cognitive science. While traditional phenomenology often focuses on the body as a "subject" of action, I explore the "body-as-object." Our ability to perceive our own body as an intentional object precedes and underpins the psychological experience of self-reflection.

Furthermore, I discuss how this "body-as-object" is shared with others, extending the act of reflection into the realms of intersubjectivity, empathy, and social anxiety. Ultimately, the analysis suggests that being a self-reflective agent and being a social agent are two sides of the same coin.

I hope you find the perspective insightful.

Best regards,

Shogo