Is Society Real? Neuroscience & the Illusion of the Individual Self
The Illusion of the Individual? Reconsidering Society’s Role in Human Behavior
The question of whether society is a ‘real’ entity, capable of influencing individual actions and outcomes, has long been debated. A famous articulation of skepticism towards the concept came from Margaret Thatcher, who asserted that “there’s no such thing as society…there are [only] individual men and women” (Keay, 1987). This statement, often cited in political discourse, challenges both the notion of collective responsibility and the justification for societal interventions aimed at redistributing resources or regulating behavior. Although, a closer seem at contemporary understandings in neuroscience, evolutionary biology and even economics suggests a more nuanced picture – one where the individual and society are inextricably linked, each shaping and being shaped by the other.
The Shifting Self: Neuroscience and the Challenge to Individual Coherence
A core tenet of Thatcher’s argument rests on the idea of a coherent, autonomous self capable of making rational decisions. But modern cognitive neuroscience casts doubt on this assumption. Research suggests that the “self” isn’t a singular, unified entity, but rather a dynamic coalition of neuronal processes. These coalitions shift depending on the circumstances, and many of our decisions may originate from unconscious substrates, with conscious reasoning serving as a post-hoc justification. As LeDoux (2019) argues, our pronouncements are often attempts to rationalize decisions already made at a deeper, less accessible level. This challenges the idea of a ‘thinking self’ as the sole author of our actions.
This isn’t to say that individuals are merely automatons. Rather, individuals cultivate “biographical selves” – narratives that provide a sense of continuity and identity over time. But even these narratives are constructed and constantly re-edited, functioning as a “spokesperson” for the underlying neuronal activity. Interestingly, even economic models, traditionally focused on the individual, now incorporate the concept of ‘multiple selves’ to explain behaviors like procrastination, addiction, and difficulty saving for retirement.
Society as an Aggregate: From Cells to Nations
If the individual self is a partly fictitious construct, what does that imply for the ‘realness’ of society? The analogy to biological systems offers a compelling framework. Just as a human being is an aggregation of cells forming an organism, society can be viewed as an aggregation of individuals operating as a collective. Over time, these aggregates develop mechanisms for reaching and executing decisions, functioning as more-or-less unified wholes. The distinct characteristics of societies – like the industrial focus of California versus Oklahoma, or the differing levels of social support in Denmark compared to Italy – are not accidental. They are the result of decades of decisions made by shifting coalitions within those societies.
The tangible effects of societal structures are evident in the provision of essential services – sanitation, street lighting, law enforcement – all of which require collective action and, often, the enforcement of rules through penalties. The existence of jails, prisons, police forces, and government bureaucracies serves as concrete evidence of society’s functionality and its capacity to exert influence over individual behavior. While governments are comprised of individuals, effective societies establish institutions that hold those individuals accountable to the needs and demands of the population. Acemoglu and Robinson (2020) highlight the importance of strengthening these institutions, rather than denying the existence of society itself, to improve governance.
Emergent Properties and Nested Hierarchies
The concept of emergent properties – qualities that arise from the interaction of parts within a system – is crucial to understanding the relationship between individuals and society. This phenomenon is observed across multiple levels of organization: atoms have properties distinct from their constituent particles, molecules have properties distinct from their atoms, and living tissues have properties distinct from their molecules. Similarly, societies exhibit characteristics that cannot be reduced to the sum of their individual members.
It’s unhelpful, and ultimately inaccurate, to claim that people are “no more than” the atoms composing their bodies, just as it’s unhelpful to claim they are “no more than” the sum of their organs. Neuroscience is actively exploring the interplay between these levels of organization to better understand cognition and consciousness. The same principle applies to the study of individuals and societies.
A World of Interconnected Individuals
Today’s world is home to over 8 billion people, each embedded within one or more societies. It was through collective action, as societies, that humans transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyles to agriculture, experienced population growth, established cities and civilizations, and ultimately reached the current global population of 8 billion. While societies may be less rigidly structured and less specialized than individual organisms, they profoundly shape the opportunities available to their members.
The effective functioning of society requires individuals willing to contribute constructively, and a healthy sense of mutual obligation – a recognition that both society shapes the individual, and the individual has a responsibility to society. This reciprocal relationship is as essential to our well-being as a holistic understanding of the brain and the complex processes that give rise to thought and feeling.
Further exploration of the interplay between individual agency and societal influence can be found through resources like the Britannica entry on Thatcherism, which contextualizes the historical debate surrounding the role of society and the individual. Understanding these complex dynamics is crucial for navigating the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.