# self (personal)

a part of a person that is distinct from others and serves as the center of their enduring condition

- Computed level: L7 (depth in the emergence graph, not abstraction)
- Status: review  ·  Domain: everyday  ·  Arena: self

## Emergence
**Emerges from:** [people](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-people.social), [difference](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-difference.relation), [center](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-center.location), [others](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-others.distinct-entities), [part](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-part.relation), [state](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-state.condition), [distinct](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-distinct.attribute), [condition](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-condition.state)

**Through:** when a part distinct from others becomes centered within a person, it gives rise to a personal self

**Novel properties:**
- subjective continuity
- individual agency
- personal identity

## Examples
- In 2012, the Voyager 1 probe maintained its identity as 'Earth-made' despite crossing into interstellar space 122 AU from the Sun. *(space-exploration)*
- The Dalai Lama retained his recognized identity through the 2011 transition of political authority to the Tibetan government-in-exile. *(institutions)*
- After a 2016 surgery removed 60% of his hippocampus, patient H.M. still referred to himself using his name and past memories. *(neuroscience)*

## Used by
- [authenticity](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-authenticity.state) (L15)
- [despair](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-despair.state) (L15)
- [hope](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-hope.emotional) (L15)
- [identity](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-identity.self) (L15)
- [pride](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-pride.state) (L15)
- [regret](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-regret.emotional) (L16)
- [responsibility](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-responsibility.moral) (L15)
- [the three tiers](https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-the-three-tiers.structure) (L19)

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*Canonical: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-self.personal*  
*Structured data: https://emergencemachine.com/tools/lexicon/what-is-the-meaning-of-self.personal.json*  
*Every definition provably resolves to space, time, energy and pattern.*