The society of selves

Human beings are not only the most sociable animals on earth, they are also the only animals who have to ponder the separateness that comes with having a conscious self . The philosophical problem of “other minds” nags away at people’s sense of who – and why – they are. But the privacy of consciousness has an evolutionary history – and maybe even an evolutionary function. While recognising the importance to humans of mind-reading and psychic transparency, we should consider the consequences and possible benefits of being – ultimately – psychically opaque.