Sebstvo - između kognitivne i društvene perspektive

This thesis explores two contrasting theories of the self: Daniel Dennett’s model of the self as a “center of narrative gravity,” a fictional construct that provides cognitive and behavioral unity, and Victor de Munck’s anthropological view of the self as a symbolic agent embedded in cultural models. While Dennett emphasizes the cognitive mechanism that generates the illusion of a unified self, de Munck highlights the relational and cultural foundations of selfhood. Using qualitative interviews and thematic analysis, the study investigates how individuals describe and construct their sense of self. The findings show that selfhood is experienced as both narrative and relational: participants framed identity as a continuous process shaped by retrospective meaning-making, shifting roles, contradictions, and cultural expectations. The results suggest that neither purely internal nor purely relational models capture the full complexity of lived selfhood. Instead, the self emerges through an ongoing negotiation between internal narrative processes and external cultural frameworks, supporting a hybrid account that integrates Dennett’s and de Munck’s perspectives.