DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA

Vuković, Hrvoje

doi:10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

Hum : Journal of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Mostar, Vol. 20 No. 33, 2025.

Review article

https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA

Hrvoje Vuković orcid.org/0009-0000-3361-5210 ; University of Zagreb, Faculty of Philosophy and Religion, doctoral student

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page 168-182

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APA 6th Edition

Vuković, H. (2025). DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA. Hum, 20 (33), 168-182. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

MLA 8th Edition

Vuković, Hrvoje. "DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA." Hum, vol. 20, no. 33, 2025, pp. 168-182. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168. Accessed 20 Jul. 2026.

Chicago 17th Edition

Vuković, Hrvoje. "DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA." Hum 20, no. 33 (2025): 168-182. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

Harvard

Vuković, H. (2025). 'DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA', Hum, 20(33), pp. 168-182. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

Vancouver

Vuković H. DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA. Hum [Internet]. 2025 [cited 2026 July 20];20(33):168-182. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

IEEE

H. Vuković, "DAMASIO’S CONCEPT OF THE SELF AND THE BUDDHIST CONCEPT OF ANATTA", Hum, vol.20, no. 33, pp. 168-182, 2025. [Online]. https://doi.org/10.47960/2303-7431.20.33.2025.168

Abstract

T his paper explores the comparison between Damasio’s concept of the self and the Buddhist concept of anatta, examining the similarities and differences between these concepts from the perspectives of neuroscience and philosophy. It analyzes Damasio’s approach to the self as a dynamic, biologically conditioned process in which the self emerges through complex neurological mechanisms. In parallel, the Buddhist doctrine of anatta emphasizes the transience and conditioned nature of the self, rejecting the notion of a permanent, unchanging consciousness. T he research reveals that both theories share a common view of the self as an impermanent and contextually shaped phenomenon, despite their different cultural and philosophical frameworks. In conclusion, the paper considers the potential implications of this comparison for integrating scientific and spiritual approaches to understanding consciousness are considered, including the contributions of Nāgārjuna’s philosophy.