mindpersonal

Mindpersonal is a term used in philosophy of mind and cognitive science to refer to the subjective, first-person aspect of mental life—the sense in which thoughts, feelings, and intentions are experienced by a particular thinker. The term combines mind and personal to emphasize a stance that foregrounds the individual subject rather than impersonal descriptions of mental processes.

Usage and scope: In discussions of consciousness and personal identity, mindpersonal is invoked to distinguish private mental states from externally observable behavior and third-person analyses. It is often linked to the first-person perspective, intentionality, and the felt quality of experience (qualia), as well as to questions about how a single subject remains the same person over time.

Applications and debate: Some scholars use mindpersonal to frame issues in human–machine interaction, such as how digital agents might accommodate or misrepresent a user's internal states, while others treat the term as redundant with established notions of subjectivity and consciousness.

Criticism: Critics argue that mindpersonal overlaps with widely used concepts and may blur empirical distinctions, potentially hindering interdisciplinary clarity. Proponents, by contrast, contend it helps isolate first-person aspects of mental life that escape external description.

See also: consciousness, subjectivity, first-person perspective, phenomenology, personal identity.