INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
ISSN No. 2321-2705 | DOI: 10.51244/IJRSI |Volume XII Issue IX September 2025
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The Evolution of Selfhood in the Digital Era: Philosophical
Reflections on Identity, Authenticity and Technology-Mediated
Human Experience
Senthil Kumar N
1*
, Santhya S
2
, Sashtiga K
3
1*
Assistant Professor- III, School of Management Studies, Bannari Amman Institute of
Technology, Sathyamangalam, India
2
Second year MBA, School of Management Studies, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology,
Sathyamangalam, India
3
Second year MBA, School of Management Studies, Bannari Amman Institute of Technology,
Sathyamangalam, India
DOI: https://doi.org/10.51244/IJRSI.2025.120800376
Received: 07 Oct 2025; Accepted: 13 Oct 2025; Published: 16 October 2025
ABSTRACT
This paper examines the transformation of selfhood in the digital era, investigating how identity, authenticity,
and subjective experience are shaped by social media, neurotechnology and digital platforms. Moving beyond
classical notions of a stable, coherent self, it engages postmodern and critical frameworks that emphasize
fluidity, fragmentation and performativity in digitally mediated existence. Drawing on interdisciplinary
scholarship from philosophy, social theory and technology studies, the study examines the ethical,
psychological and existential implications of digital selfhood. By synthesizing theoretical perspectives with
contemporary technological developments, the paper illuminates how digital environments reconfigure agency,
subjectivity and human experience, offering a critical account of the challenges and opportunities inherent in
identity formation in the 21st century.
Keywords - Selfhood, Identity, Authenticity, Digital Technologies, Neurotechnology, Generative AI
INTRODUCTION
The study of classical metaphysics, moral philosophy, and existential thought all revolve around the idea of
selfhood. Traditionally, the self is conceived as a continuous, stable entity capable of coherent experience,
moral reasoning and reflective agency. These frameworks place an emphasis on identity as a cohesive
narrative in which a person's personal experiences build a recognizable, authentic self over time. However,
over the course of the past few decades, the emergence of digital technologies has fundamentally altered how
individuals perceive, construct, and express their identities. New forms of self-presentation, interaction, and
cognitive augmentation are now possible thanks to social media platforms, neurotechnology and artificial
intelligence. These developments emphasize fluid, fragmented, and performative identities, challenging
conventional philosophical assumptions. Digital selfhood is increasingly characterized by multiple, context-
dependent personas, curated online representations, and self-perceptions that are algorithmically shaped. This
raises important questions about authenticity, continuity, and agency in contemporary life.
Objectives and Scope
The primary objective of this paper is to examine the evolution of selfhood within the context of
contemporary digital technologies. Specifically, the study seeks to:
To review classical and postmodern philosophical theories related to selfhood, identity, and authenticity as a
conceptual foundation.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
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To examine how existing studies describe the influence of social media, neurotechnology, and digital
platforms on the construction and experience of identity.
To collate and discuss the ethical, psychological, and existential themes that emerge from technology-mediated
selfhood in recent scholarly discourse.
To identify gaps in current philosophical and social research regarding digital identity and self-perception.
Through these objectives, the paper situates itself at the intersection of philosophy, social theory and
technology studies, aiming to provide a sophisticated understanding of the complexities of digital selfhood.
This paper argues that digital technologies have redefined selfhood from a stable philosophical concept to a
fluid, technologically mediated construct that challenges our understanding of identity and authenticity.
Methodological Approach
This study adopts a conceptual and theoretical methodology, emphasizing critical analysis and synthesis over
empirical investigation. An extensive literature review that includes philosophical works, social theory,
technology studies, and digital ethics serves as the foundation for the study. Secondary sources include peer-
reviewed journal articles, monographs and authoritative reports that address both classical conceptions of
selfhood and contemporary technological transformations. The paper develops a comprehensive framework
for comprehending the changing nature of identity and subjectivity in the digital age by combining
philosophical reflection with analysis of emerging digital phenomena.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Classical and Postmodern Philosophical Perspectives
Philosophical inquiry has long explored the nature of selfhood, emphasizing both continuity and reflexivity.
Butler [1] critiques essentialist notions of identity, highlighting its performative and socially constructed
character. Taylor [2] traces the historical development of the modern self, emphasizing the interplay between
moral frameworks, personal reflection and societal recognition. Giddens [3] complements this perspective by
emphasizing the reflexive nature of identity in late modernity, showing how individuals actively negotiate self-
conception within dynamic social structures. Reference [18] emphasizes continuity and temporality, while
Heidegger [19] examines the phenomenology of being and Sartre [20] foregrounds existential freedom and
authenticity as central dimensions of selfhood. Collectively, these works provide a conceptual foundation for
understanding identity as both historically situated and socially mediated.
Sociological and Reflexive Theories of Identity
Sociological perspectives extend philosophical debates by emphasizing the relational and performative aspects
of selfhood. Identity is not a fixed essence but a continual process shaped through social interaction and
recognition [3]. Ricoeur [6] emphasizes narrative construction, arguing that personal identity emerges through
interpretation and integration of life experiences. These frameworks underscore the reflexive capacity of
individuals to construct meaning in their social environments, a capacity increasingly exercised in digitally
mediated contexts.
Digital Mediation of Selfhood
Digital technologies introduce new dimensions to identity formation. Turkle [4] demonstrates that social media
often produces fragmented, curated selves that diverge from traditional notions of authenticity. Zuboff [5]
introduces the concept of surveillance capitalism, illustrating how personal data is commodified and raising
ethical concerns about autonomy and self-representation. Floridi [7] situates identity within the “onlife” era,
where hyperconnectivity reshapes agency, ethical responsibility and the boundaries between online and offline
selves. Frith [15] and McStay [16] further highlight how social media and emotional AI mediate self-
expression, communication and affective experience.
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Neuroscience, Cognition and AI
Advances in neuroscience and AI provide additional insight into selfhood. Metzinger [9] proposes the self-
model theory, linking consciousness to neurological processes, while Choudhury and Slaby [10] illustrate how
technological interventions influence both individual experience and cultural norms. Damasio [12] emphasizes
the interdependence of cognitive, physiological and affective processes in shaping identity. Campolo et al. [13]
analyze the societal impact of AI, interrogating questions of agency, ethics and digital subjectivity. De Mul
[14] investigates virtual ontologies, showing how cyberspace transforms cultural and existential
understandings of selfhood.
Ethical and Existential Implications
Digital selfhood raises profound ethical and existential questions. Ess [17] advocates for responsible
engagement with technologies that shape identity, while Foucault [11] provides historical insight into self-
regulation and ethical practices in mediated environments. Harari [8] emphasizes how contemporary
technologies transform cognition, society and human experience. Together, these perspectives reveal that
digital selfhood is neither static nor isolated but dynamically constructed, offering opportunities for exploration
while posing challenges to coherence, authenticity and ethical responsibility [2], [4], [5], [9], [15].
Synthesis and Research Gap
The reviewed literature demonstrates that selfhood is a multidimensional construct influenced by philosophical
reflection, social interaction and technological mediation. While classical and sociological perspectives
provide foundational understanding, digital technologies amplify the complexity of identity formation, raising
questions that remain underexplored in terms of ethical, psychological and existential consequences. This
review provides a conceptual basis for investigating the evolving nature of selfhood in the digital era and
identifies avenues for future empirical and theoretical research.
While classical thinkers explored the moral and rational nature of the self, contemporary technologies now
reshape how these very principles are enacted and experienced
PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF SELFHOOD
Traditional Views on Identity
Kantian Moral Philosophy:
Kantian philosophy conceives the self as a rational agent capable of moral deliberation and autonomous action.
The moral self is defined within this framework by adhering to universal ethical principles and having an
identity that is based on reason rather than random experiences. Authenticity is expressed through consistent
moral behaviour and rational self-governance, reflecting a coherent and stable conception of personal identity.
Thus, continuity, intentionality, and the capacity for reflection are fundamental to ethical and personal
coherence in the Kantian self.
Metaphysical Continuity of Self:
Classical philosophers, including Parfit and Heidegger, foreground the continuity of personal identity over
time. Identity is maintained through the persistence of memory, intentions and overlapping chains of
consciousness, while temporality is integral to understanding existence and being-in-the-world. These
perspectives portray selfhood as a unified, enduring construct, offering a baseline against which the fluidity
and fragmentation of contemporary digital identities can be evaluated.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RESEARCH AND SCIENTIFIC INNOVATION (IJRSI)
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Postmodern and Existential Critiques
Social Construction of Identity:
Selfhood is reimagined from sociological and postmodern perspectives as dynamic, relational, and context-
dependent. Identity is a result of social interactions, cultural norms, and symbolic practices rather than an
inherent quality. This framework highlights the performative nature of identity, the multiplicity of self-
representations and the centrality of external mediation in shaping how individuals experience and express
themselves.
Existential Anxiety and Nihilism:
According to existentialist theory, individuals must actively construct their essence in the absence of
predetermined structures, highlighting the conflict between freedom and responsibility. As individuals face
choices that define their authentic selves, this radical freedom causes existential anxiety. The digital
environment intensifies these challenges, introducing novel platforms for self-expression, curated personas and
algorithmically mediated interactions, all of which complicate the boundaries between authentic and
performed identity.
Table 1 Comparative Perspectives on Traditional and Postmodern Conceptions of Selfhood
Traditional Views
Postmodern/Existential Views
Stable, coherent, unified self
Fluid, fragmented, multiple selves
Identity grounded in reason,
morality and continuity
Identity shaped by social interactions
and performativity
Authenticity through rational
consistency and moral behavior
Authenticity negotiated dynamically
and contextually
Emphasizes autonomous agency
Emphasizes relational and socially
mediated agency
Identity persists over time
Identity is flexible and contingent
The table highlights key contrasts between traditional and postmodern perspectives on selfhood. Traditional
views emphasize stability, continuity and rational authenticity, while postmodern approaches foreground
fluidity, multiplicity and socially mediated identity. In digitally mediated contexts, these distinctions are
particularly relevant: traditional frameworks provide a benchmark for evaluating coherence and authenticity,
whereas postmodern perspectives illuminate how online platforms, AI-mediated interactions and
algorithmically curated environments enable multiple, context-dependent selves, emphasizing both
opportunities for self-exploration and challenges to maintaining a consistent sense of identity.
TECHNOLOGY MEDIATED SELFHOOD
While classical philosophers focused on moral, rational, and continuous aspects of the self, contemporary
digital technologies now reshape how these aspects are experienced, performed, and perceived in everyday
life.
Digital Self-Presentation and Identity Fluidity
Social Media’s Role in Identity Construction:
Platforms for social media have fundamentally altered how individuals construct and practice identity. Online
profiles allow users to curate selective representations of themselves, exploring multiple facets of personality
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and projecting aspirational or idealized selves [4], [15]. These digital environments facilitate experimentation
with identity, enabling individuals to test, modify and perform different aspects of selfhood in ways not
possible in offline contexts. Feedback loops through likes, comments and other social signals further influence
self-perception, reinforcing certain behaviors, styles, or traits. Beyond the technological mechanics, these
dynamic fosters a culture in which identity is increasingly performative, context-dependent and socially
validated.
For example, platforms like Instagram and TikTok encourage users to present curated versions of themselves,
were likes and comments influence self-perception and identity performance. Similarly, AI-driven avatars and
virtual influencers blur the line between authentic and constructed identities
Impact on Adolescent Mental Health:
While digital self-expression offers opportunities for experimentation and social connection, it also introduces
risks for psychological well-being. Constant exposure to curated, idealized personas can intensify social
comparison, fostering anxiety, low self-esteem and depressive tendencies, particularly among adolescents [4],
[16]. Emotional AI and personalized digital interactions can subtly shape behavior and preferences, creating
pressures to conform to normative or socially desirable identities, potentially constraining authentic self-
expression.
Impact of Neurotechnology on Authenticity
Experimental Authenticity:
Neurotechnology, including neurofeedback, brain-computer interfaces and cognitive enhancement tools, allow
individuals to modulate perception, memory and emotional responses [9], [10], [12]. These interventions open
avenues for what may be termed “experimental authenticity,” where individuals actively explore different
dimensions of their identity. While this offers potential for self-discovery and psychological flexibility, it also
blurs boundaries between genuine experiences and technologically mediated simulations, raising questions
about the limits of authenticity.
Neurotechnological Interventions on Narrative Selfhood:
Neurotechnology have the potential to have a direct impact on how people create and maintain their personal
narratives. These tools alter the continuity and coherence of a person's life story by altering memory recall,
altering emotional states, or improving cognitive processes. These interventions highlight the interplay
between technology, cognition, and identity formation and challenge conventional notions of the self as a
stable, temporally continuous entity.
Generative AI and Digital Identities
Identity Investment in the AI Era:
Generative AI systems facilitate the externalization of identity through personalized content creation, virtual
avatars and interactive digital agents [13], [16]. These platforms enable individuals to experiment with self-
representation in novel ways, constructing and performing identities that may differ from offline selves.
However, this also introduces the risk of dependency on AI-mediated validation, where self-worth and self-
perception are increasingly shaped by algorithmic feedback and digital interactions rather than intrinsic
experience.
Ethical Dimensions:
The integration of AI into personal, social and creative spheres raises significant ethical concerns, including
privacy, agency and autonomy [5], [13], [17]. Digital identities can be commodified, monitored, or
manipulated by algorithms, potentially reinforcing existing power imbalances. These developments challenge
traditional moral frameworks and call for a critical evaluation of how technology mediates responsibility,
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authenticity and the ethical construction of selfhood.
ETHICAL & PHILOSOPHICAL IMPLICATIONS
Moral Status and Artificial Intelligence
Anthropological Crisis in AI:
The emergence of artificial intelligence challenges long-held beliefs regarding the moral agency and
uniqueness of humans. Critical reflection on the boundaries between humans and machines is prompted by
intelligent systems that are able to learn, make decisions, and even interact with one another in an emotionally
responsive way. This raises fundamental questions about the moral status of artificial entities and the
responsibilities of those who design, deploy and regulate such technologies. The increasing sophistication of
AI compels a reassessment of what constitutes ethical action, agency and accountability in a world where
machines participate in domains previously reserved for humans.
Moral Considerations and Personhood:
Philosophical inquiry into personhood emphasizes autonomy, consciousness and moral responsibility as
essential criteria for ethical consideration. As AI becomes integrated into social, professional and personal
contexts, it is imperative to examine how technology mediates human decision-making and accountability.
Ensuring that ethical principles are preserved in technologically mediated interactions requires careful
deliberation about the influence of AI on human behavior, societal norms and the broader moral landscape.
Aesthetic Medicine and Social Media Intersections
Reinforcement Loop in Self-Perception:
The convergence of social media and aesthetic medicine generates a continuous feedback loop shaping self-
perception. Visual representation, peer validation and online interactions collectively influence individuals’
understanding of beauty, desirability and social value. This dynamic can intensify psychological pressures,
subtly altering self-concept and identity, particularly in contexts where self-worth becomes closely tied to
digitally mediated appearance.
Ethical Concerns in Aesthetic Practices:
Technologies that modify appearance, including digital filters and cosmetic interventions, raise pressing ethical
questions regarding autonomy, authenticity and informed consent. The normalization of these practices in
digitally mediated social environments blurs the line between natural and engineered selfhood, challenging
traditional ethical frameworks and necessitating critical reflection on the moral implications of technologically
enhanced self-presentation.
Digital Self-Monitoring in Mental Health Care
Appropriation of Digital Tools:
Digital self-monitoring technologies, encompassing wearable devices, smartphone applications and AI-assisted
mental health platforms, enable individuals to track mood, behavior and physiological states. While these tools
offer opportunities to enhance self-awareness, therapeutic engagement and behavioral insight, they also risk
over-surveillance, commodification of personal experiences and an erosion of privacy.
Impact on Selfhood:
Continuous monitoring and algorithmic feedback can influence self-perception, emotional regulation and
decision-making. The autonomy, authenticity, and evolution of the self are fundamental philosophical and
ethical issues that arise as these technologies become ingrained in everyday life. Digital selfhood in this
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context is co-constructed with technology, highlighting the interplay between human agency, technological
mediation and ethical responsibility in contemporary life.
Therefore, the ethical challenge is not to reject technology; rather, it is to cultivate conscious awareness of the
ways in which it shapes our ever-evolving sense of self.
INTEGRATION AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS
Integration of Philosophical Perspectives
The philosophical foundations of selfhood offer a critical lens for understanding the transformations brought
about by digital technologies. Classical perspectives emphasize continuity, rationality and moral integrity,
whereas postmodern and existential critiques foreground performativity, multiplicity and freedom. How
technology influence’s identity construction, authenticity, and self-expression is revealed when these
perspectives are combined with observations from digitally mediated environments. Social media,
neurotechnologies and AI function both as tools and contexts in which selfhood is continuously negotiated,
highlighting the dynamic interplay between enduring philosophical concerns and contemporary digital
realities.
Challenges to Authenticity in the Digital Era
Digital environments pose significant challenges to maintaining authentic selfhood. Performative identities,
curated self-presentation, and social behaviors that are algorithmically reinforced are all encouraged by online
platforms. The line between actual experience and technologically simulated selfhood is further blurred by AI-
mediated and neurotechnological interventions. As a result, individuals must navigate tensions between self-
expression, social validation and ethical responsibility, which can contribute to psychological stress, existential
anxiety and identity fragmentation.
Future Research Directions
Understanding the evolving nature of selfhood in digitally mediated contexts requires interdisciplinary
approaches. Key areas for future inquiry include:
The impact of AI-driven personalization on identity development and autonomy.
Ethical frameworks for digital self-monitoring and neurotechnological interventions.
Longitudinal studies on mental health outcomes associated with curated digital self-presentation and AI-
mediated experiences.
Philosophical analysis of emerging concepts of authenticity, agency and moral responsibility in virtual
environments.
By combining philosophical reflection, empirical research and technological analysis, scholars can develop
comprehensive frameworks to understand selfhood in the 21st century, accounting for its ethical,
psychological and existential dimensions in a digitally mediated world.
CONCLUSION
This paper demonstrates that the concept of selfhood has undergone profound transformation in the digital era.
Identity is no longer a fixed or solely internal construct but is increasingly shaped by social, technological and
cultural contexts. Digital technologies including social media, artificial intelligence and neurotechnology
introduce new avenues for self-expression, experimentation and fluidity, enabling individuals to explore
multiple dimensions of their identity. At the same time, these technologies pose significant challenges to
authenticity, moral responsibility and psychological well-being, as curated personas, algorithmic influences
and continuous monitoring blur the boundaries between the real and the mediated self.
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The analysis highlights that selfhood is dynamic, performative and relational, continuously co-constructed
through interactions with both human and technological agents. A comprehensive understanding of identity in
this context requires integrating philosophical insights with awareness of contemporary digital practices.
Ultimately, navigating digital selfhood demands conscious engagement with technology, ethical reflection and
personal awareness, allowing individuals to maintain authenticity and agency while embracing the
transformative possibilities of the digital era.
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