Are Narcissists Philosophical Zombies?

Zombie walk 2011 in Brisbane, Queensland Australia

Source: Andrew Mercer/Wikicommons

The notion of philosophical zombies, though fun to talk about in introductory philosophy classes, has always seemed nonsensical to me. But the concept might be useful in conceptualizing a problematic anomaly in human psychology: narcissism.

But first, what is a philosophical zombie (or p-zombie) for short? A p-zombie is someone who seems like a normal human but has no conscious experience or sentience. So, behaviorally, they seem just like you and me, exclaiming “ouch!” when they stub a toe or “yes, please” when offered more coffee.

But inside—tumbleweeds. They don’t feel pain even though they say “ouch,” and they don’t want or enjoy coffee when they ask for more of it. Externally, they appear normal, but they are dead inside, just like zombies. How in the world would philosophers utilize such a silly fabrication?

Philosophical Zombies and Physicalism

The concept of p-zombies is used to argue that physicalism—the notion that everything has a physical basis, à la modern science—can not account for human consciousness. There’s got to be something more, the argument goes. And the various proposals regarding the complex relationship between the physical brain and whatever this something more of consciousness might be comprise a bulk of contemporary philosophy of mind.

Some philosophers believe p-zombies are at least conceivable (unlike a square triangle, for instance, which is inconceivable). Thus, physicalism fails as a full-blown philosophy of mind, and voilà: consciousness is banished (back) to the realm of mystery.

Even if p-zombies are conceivable, however, they still defy common sense. If you consider human beings in their proper historical context of evolution (which you should), then it doesn’t make sense to ask why we contemporary humans enjoy what philosophers call qualia, i.e., the qualitative experience of the world.

The argument against physicalism goes, if we are just physical beings, then why do we enjoy the taste of coffee or feel pain when we stub our toes? Why would there be any need for this extra stuff of life—the experiential dimension of it all? But that’s an uninformed question to ask in the first place if you acknowledge evolutionary theory.

Philosophical Zombies Defy Evolution and Common Sense

Organisms, both simple and complex, survive on the individual level if they’re effectively attuned to their environment; they avoid danger and seek life-enhancing elements like safety, food, and sex (reproduction). Organisms that didn't play by evolution’s rules, well, they’re gone.

Hominids evolved only after millions of years of precursory life forms sufficiently attuned to their environments, enabling individuals to survive (at least long enough to reproduce) and consequently whole groups and species to survive.

This story is true not just of humans (which comprise one branch on one limb of the evolutionary tree) but for every existent species today. Having a finely tuned qualitative experience of our environment and responding appropriately is the definitive reason we are here now.

Asking why we experience the world qualitatively ignores both evolutionary theory and common sense. Asking how we experience the world qualitatively is more interesting and will presumably be answered by brain science and not philosophy of mind.

Another Possible Use of P-Zombies: Psychological Anomalies

But p-zombies could nevertheless be helpful in conceptualizing human anomalies marked by a stark lack of inner world. For instance, psychopaths and serial killers commonly lack guilt for their criminal behavior.

Structural and functional differences have been detected between psychopathic and healthy brains underlying the fact that normal people will feel guilt and shame for accidentally killing someone. In contrast, serial killers reportedly do not feel these negative emotions for their intentional and repeated killings. In a sense, they are at least partially p-zombies.

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Narcissists, too, comprise an intriguing exception to normal human psychology in lacking fundamental aspects of what it means to be human—most significantly, self-awareness. Likely, no one is perfectly self-aware, but a normal human being exposed to education of any kind or party to relationships of any kind has some degree of self-awareness.

We tend to be more aware of our good parts and less of our bad parts, but basic self-awareness is that baseline hum of human experience—knowing who we are in the world and how others see us in the world. Even baseline self-awareness takes experience, maturity, and thoughtfulness. We’re not self-aware as small children but develop it along the way. But narcissists never do. There’s a very young age and developmental stage at which they get stuck. And never progress.

Baseline self-awareness can be greatly increased simply by spending time alone. Also, spending time in quiet contemplation and reflection, thinking, practicing mindfulness in yoga or meditation, being open to criticism and self-improvement, or being in therapy.

Tragically, none of these activities the narcissist is willing to do. So, they remain stuck. Narcissists move through the world unsure of themselves, unsure of who they really are, and completely ignorant of how others see them. As I’ve said in other posts on the subject, this one fundamental void of self-awareness in narcissists is, for philosophers (and self-aware people in general), the most tragic and horrifying aspect of narcissism.

P-Zombies are Empty Inside Just Like Narcissists

But there are other aspects of narcissism that overlap with p-zombies as well. Narcissists are fundamentally fueled by anger and shame. But they push those aspects of themselves deep down and instead act outwardly charismatic, energetic, and proud. The shiny façade they show to the world is like the upside-down world of their inner broken selves.

When they lash out at people, behaving badly in downright embarrassing ways, they’re vomiting their shame and anger on everyone around them. While self-aware people regret when they overreact, narcissists do not. They refuse to take responsibility for their actions, forever finding others at fault.

Narcissists are incorrigible, rejecting all criticism. While nobody loves criticism, the mature and stable adult learns how to take it from friends, loved ones, and professional superiors. It’s part of life. But narcissists cannot allow even a tiny crack in the façade, lest their entire reality collapses into dust.

If you’ve ever known a narcissist, you know this: they’re empty inside, like shells of human beings, like zombies. It’s tragic and frightening. Being human entails being aware of our world, like all living beings, but being human also entails being aware of ourselves, our thoughts, and feelings in relation to those of other people. And if we’re not aware in those ways, we’re not fully human—we’re not even close to being self-actualized.

Narcissists are so tragically preoccupied with how they look on the outside that they never do the inner work of developing as selves. They don’t know themselves. They don’t know what they believe and why. If the philosophical concept of zombies can be at all useful, it’s not in debunking physicalism but in distinguishing between psychologically healthy and unhealthy human beings.