self-referentiality
Describing its own describing
Self-referentiality is the quality of referring to oneself.
A sentence like This sentence has five words is self-referential—it makes a claim about itself.
The concept appears in logic, literature, and art, where works comment on their own construction or nature: The novel's self-referentiality became tiresome.
Closely related to recursion and meta-awareness.
Self-consuming serpent emblem
- recursionProcess invoking itself
- self-similarityIdentical at every magnification
- fractalShape repeating at every scale
- metafictionLiterature aware of itself
fourth wall · metacognition · infinite regress · bootstrap paradox · metatextuality · frame story
Insight into one's psyche
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- self-reflectionExamining one's own mind
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
- self-perceptionHow one views oneself
self-observation · self-scrutiny · self-analysis · self-inquiry · metacognition · reflexivity · self-monitoring · self-knowledge
Seemingly absurd truth
- incompletenessState of lacking parts
- circularityState of being round
- vicious circleSelf-reinforcing negative loop
- begging the questionAssuming what needs proof
Relating to algebraic topology invariants
- self-describingExemplifying its own meaning
- performativeDone for appearance's sake
- metalanguageVocabulary describing linguistic structure
- quotationCited passage or price
ouroboros
Self-consuming serpent emblem
- recursionProcess invoking itself
- self-similarityIdentical at every magnification
- fractalShape repeating at every scale
metafiction · fourth wall · metacognition · infinite regress · bootstrap paradox · metatextuality · frame story
self-awareness
Insight into one's psyche
- self-examinationScrutiny of one's thoughts
- self-reflectionExamining one's own mind
- self-consciousnessUncomfortable awareness of oneself
self-perception · self-observation · self-scrutiny · self-analysis · self-inquiry · metacognition · reflexivity · self-monitoring · self-knowledge · autobiography
paradox
Seemingly absurd truth
- incompletenessState of lacking parts
- circularityState of being round
- vicious circleSelf-reinforcing negative loop
begging the question · self-contradiction · antinomy · fixed point
homological
Relating to algebraic topology invariants
- self-describingExemplifying its own meaning
- performativeDone for appearance's sake
- metalanguageVocabulary describing linguistic structure
- postmodernismdeconstruction, metafiction, hyperreality, pastiche, metanarrative
- fictionfiction, novel, novels, novella, novellas
- critical theorydeconstruction, Marxism, feminism, simulacrum, postcolonialism
refer, reference, referential, self-referential, self-reference