Thought and consciousness in language as prerequisites for the existential-identity perception of the human self

Abstract

The subject matter of this chapter constitutes the linguistic manifestation of the identity of the human self as a product of its thinking abilities and mental experiencing of its consciousness. The focus of attention is paid to different aspects of man’s existential awareness connected with his spirit-based rationality and reflexivity. The principal stress is on the mental states of the human self, determined by the subjectivity of its reasoning or feelings processes. That’s why the first place occupies here the idea of transcendentality originating in the apriority (a priori forms) of self-awareness. The second forms the idea of existential subjectivity inexpressible through objective forms and inadequacy to reality. The third, in turn, makes up the stream-of-consciousness- related dialogical form of internal communication, a tendency to actualize images from the past, unrelated to the present but counting for in the future. Finally, the subject of a separate discussion forms the notion of intentionality, a precondition of freedom, unconditional dependency on the existence of the individual in the world. While pondering upon the relation between thought and language, the author deals with the role of language-based thinking in the communicative systems and cognitive processes of the embodied mind. Against this background, the viewpoint of existential semiotics is highlighted where the subjective perception of identity as a kind of being expressed through transcending signs appears to be a prerequisite for a private performance of the individual self in the domains of public communication.