Philosophy and Language

A Problem in the Meaning of Language: The Ambiguity Inherent in Reference to Oneself

"Oneself" is a reflexive pronoun used as an object to refer to the subject of a verb, as in the sentence: "One can always imagine oneself as someone else." The subject referred to by the reflexive pronoun "oneself" is a conscious self. The self referred to as "oneself" is capable of being conscious of itself. Thus, "oneself" can be an object of contemplation for the conscious self.

"Oneself" is a self which must always be more fully defined. The undefined or not-yet fully defined self is indefinite and hypothetical. The not-yet fully defined self is also a possible self. This possible self may be proposed as an actual or real self.

The possible self may be either temporary or permanent. This possible self must be contemplated in order to determine whether it corresponds with the actual self. If the possible self is found to correspond with the actual self, then it can become the actual self.

The possible self is also a proposed self. The self may propose itself to itself. "Oneself" may be a self proposed by the self to itself. The self referred to as "oneself" is proposed to the self as being itself. The self referred to as "oneself" may also be projected by the self as an internal or external reality. "Oneself" may be the self which the self recognizes as itself, or may be a self which is recognized as an internal or external reality.

The phrase, "One sees oneself," implies a relation between a subject and an object. When the subject sees itself as the object which reflexively refers to it, the subject sees a self which it finds as corresponding to itself. The subject also sees a self which corresponds to an actual or real self, unless the self denies its own reality.

"Oneself" is, at the same time, one self (a single self), and one’s self (a self belonging to oneself). When the pronoun "oneself" refers to "one self," it may refer to a numerical and/or compositional quality. "Oneself" refers to a numerical quality if it is a single self, as opposed to more than one self. "Oneself" refers to a compositional quality if it is a self which is a unity and not a plurality, i.e. a self which is one and not many.

A single self may have an internal unity or disunity. Thus, the self referred to as "oneself" may have an internal unity or disunity. The self referred to as "oneself" may also be a self which discovers its oneness, or which becomes aware of its uniqueness and individuality.

The oneness discovered by the self may be a numerical and/or compositional quality. Oneness as a numerical identity may be a sense of singularity, particularity, individuality, or difference from others. Oneness as a compositional identity may be a sense of internal unity, universality, sameness, or similarity.

"Oneself" in the sense of "one’s self" or "one’s own self" may imply a state of belonging to the self, or ownership by the self. "Oneself" may be a possible self which belongs to an actual self. "Oneself" may be an external self which belongs to an internal self.

"One" is an indefinite pronoun, which may refer to "anyone." For example, the subject referred to by the sentence, "One seldom sees oneself as one truly is," could be anyone. Thus, "oneself" may refer to a self which is anyone’s self. If "oneself" refers to a self which is different from one’s own self, then one may deny that one is the subject of the statement.

On the other hand, the pronoun "oneself" may be used as a more personalized or individualized form of reference to the self. Although "one" is a pronoun which may be used to refer to "anyone," "one" may also be a particular individual, and "oneself" may be an identity which belongs to an individual self.

"Oneself" is a self among other selves. "Oneself" may be an individual self, or may be a more universalized or generalized self which is representative of the selves of other human beings. If the self which is referred to as "oneself" is a universal self, then it has an anonymous and undefined quality, in that it is "everyone’s self." "Everyone’s self" is inclusive of "oneself," but "oneself" is relegated to being unnamed if it is the same as "everyone’s self."

It may be arguable whether or not an individual self is capable of becoming a universal self. The pronoun "oneself" may refer to an individual self which has become a universal self, or may refer to a universal self which has become an individual self. The use of the pronoun "oneself" to mean "everyone’s self" attempts to bring the individual self into a totality of selves or into an all-inclusive reality.

The use of the pronoun "oneself" presupposes that the self which is referred to can be defined. If the self which is referred to as "oneself" cannot be defined, then the ambiguity represented by the pronoun "oneself" cannot be resolved. Thus, the use of the pronoun "oneself" to refer to a not-yet fully defined self requires a method of definition or interpretation of the self.

The self referred to as "oneself" may be yourself, myself, himself, herself, ourselves, and themselves. "Oneself" is yourself, or myself, or himself, or herself. "Oneself" is ourselves, and all others' selves. The pronoun "oneself" establishes a unity between myself and yourself, between himself and herself, between ourselves and themselves. If you or I accept (or reject) being referred to as "oneself," then we accept (or reject) being included in this unity.

To know oneself is to develop a sense of personal identity. Personal identity may be developed by exploring how a possible self corresponds to an actual self, and by determining how an ideal self corresponds to an actual self. The pronoun "oneself" may refer to an ideal or actual self. If the pronoun "oneself" refers to an ideal self which is actually the self itself, then the self may be both actual and ideal.

Copyright© 2002 Alex Scott

next page