Abstract

The following is about the question of whether there is such a thing as a real ego or not, and what practically follows from this. More precisely, it is about the question of what a corresponding belief means for the self-relationship of a subject. I deal critically with the positions of Michael Hampe, Jay L. Garfield and Dan Zahavi and try to substantiate two theses. First: There is a real ego and everyone is identical with his ego. And secondly: Belief in the ego tends not to lead to more, but to less egocentrism and egoism.