Work, love, and play after brain injury.

Human self-awareness is not easily reducible to known principles of neurochemistry, neurophysiology, or neuropsychology. The author encourages a broader, less restrictive exploration of the nature of self-awareness as it relates to brain-injured patients. He elucidates the role of symbols in neuropsychological rehabilitation and suggests that work, love, and play are the primary symbols of normality that can reconcile brain-injured patients to their neurological condition.