Reflection

At what age or stage do we become capable of reflection and self-criticism? And how soon after that do we start to be reflective and self-critical? Some people never seem to. I knew a man who was always in conflict and always obviously in the right - in his opinion.

Present consciousness did not perform past acts but this psychophysical organism did perform them and present consciousness needs to acknowledge that. The first person singular pronoun refers both to the organism with a history of acting in particular ways (karma) and to present consciousness with the potential to transcend karma. I am neither identical with nor different from my past self so it is necessary to understand the relationship between past and present selves.