Beyond the "I": A Phenomenological Inquiry into Consciousness, Existence, and Human Self-Distortion examines how the human sense of self emerges through language, memory, recognition, and social conditioning. Using a phenomenological approach, the paper argues that the isolated "I" functions as a structure of separation that divides self from world, humanity from nature, and observer from observed. It explores consciousness not as a possession of individual organisms but as an expression of existence itself. The study further analyzes how institutions such as religion, nationhood, family systems, economies, and cultural traditions both reveal human capabilities and contribute to perceptual distortions. The paper concludes that humanity's greatest challenge is not technological limitation but a lag in conscious self-understanding, resulting in external advancement without equivalent psychological insight.
Mayank Singh (Thu,) studied this question.