Abstract

In this article I discuss and criticize the thesis according to which every conscious state is self-conscious too. Several scholars have recently grounded this thesis on the notion of non-reflective self-consciousness. I argue that the most plausible way of giving an appropriate empirical content to the notion of non-reflective self-consciousness consists in identifying it with bodily self-consciousness. However, since this form of self-consciousness develops completely not before the age of 18 months, whereas children are conscious much earlier, the implication from consciousness to self-consciousness should be rejected.