[On schizophrenic passivity].

Using a case history this paper attempts to define a certain temporal orientation peculiar to schizophrenic passivity. In agreement with Straus, we divide the present into two modes, one before confirmation of an action and one after. The former mode is termed the immediate present, and the latter is the nonimmediate present. Due to the requirement of recording procedure in neuroscience, it usually is unable to deal with questions of the immediate present. This leads to a"discovery" that cerebral initiation of a voluntary act arises prior to our conscious awareness of the intention to act. Such a belated awareness could be also found in"made" actions of schizophrenia, because a patient becomes aware of alien control only after a movement of his body has been caused by external agencies. With regard to this resemblance schizophrenic passivity may be conceived as a disturbance of anchorage in the immediate present. Taking account of an anthropological concept of"life" we elucidate the relationship of the self to the immediate present.