The Self From Various Perspective

Understanding the Self (2nd Term, AY 2019-2020)
THE SELF FROM VARIOUS

PERSPECTIVES
PHILOSOPHY
PHILOSOPHY SOCIOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY ORIENTAL/ The self in a philosophical paradigm
EASTERN
THOUGHT
Understanding the Self UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives Understanding the Self UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives
HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION:
IN WHAT WAYS DO I GET

TO KNOW MYSELF?
UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 1

Ancient Philosophy
1000 BC to 500 AD
The Ancient Triumvirate

(Socrates, Plato, Aristotle)
Post-Aristotelians Socrates Aristotle Plato
The Ancient Triumvirate The Ancient Triumvirate

Socrates Socrates
“Know thy self ” To find what?
 Man must live and stand according to his nature
 Man must look at himself  Invitation to introspection: Platonic
theory of reminiscence
“An unexamined life is not worth living.”  Knowledge is within, inherent in
man; not outside
 Two fundamental questions:  Wisdom is learning to reflect
1. To find what?
2. By what means?


Socrates Socrates
Physical World
By what means? Changeable, transient, imperfect
World of Senses/Matter
 The Socratic Method: Dialogue
between the soul and itself Two Aspects of Reality Dualistic Reality: Body and Soul
 Between a student and his teacher
Spiritual World
Unchanging, eternal, perfect
World of Ideas/Form

Socrates Plato
Our Soul (Self) 3-Part Soul/Self (Psyche)
 Strive for wisdom and perfection  Reason: the divine essence that lets us think deeply
 Reason is the soul’s tool to achieve such state (wisdom), make wise choices, and achieve a true
 A unified, indissoluble, immortal entity that understanding of eternal truths
remains the same over time  Physical Appetite: accounts for the basic biological needs
 That is in the very likeness of the divine such as hunger, thirst and sexual desire
 Spirit/Passion: accounts for the basic emotions such as
love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, and empathy


Plato Aristotle
3-Part Soul/Self (Psyche)  The mind (self) is a tabula rasa (a blank tablet).
 Comparison of the mind to a blank writing tablet occurs in Aristotle’s
 The three are in a dynamic relationship with each other: in De anima (4th century BCE; On the Soul).
agreement or in conflict
 Self is composed of matter and form
 But it is the responsibility of the Reason to restore harmony
among the three  Matter is in a continuous process of developing and
becoming
 Harmony: justice in the individual, social, and political levels
 The Process of Completion is through experiences
 Knowledge is acquired through the senses

Aristotle
The Post-Aristotelians
Self comes from a First Cause, the
 Maintains the dualism between
source of all changes although
body and soul
unchangeable itself  More ethical in the ideas
The goal of the human self is • Moral norms: attainment of
reached in happiness through happiness
moderation or balance of things

The Post-Aristotelians
Stoicism IS THE SELF RELATED TO A
Apathy or indifference to pleasure
SUPREME BEING/GOD?
Hedonism
“Eat, drink, and be happy. For tomorrow, you will die.” WHO AM I IN RELATION TO A
Epicureanism SUPREME BEING/GOD?
Moderate pleasure
Medieval Philosophy Medieval Philosophy

500 AD to 1350 AD 500 AD to 1350 AD
Theo-centric
More imposing than informing,
 From the scientific investigation on
nature and search for happiness to the
because it was trying to aim at
question of life and salvation in another paganism and barbarism
realm, in a better world (i.e., the afterlife) There was an aim to merge
 Influence from ancient thought: philosophy and religion
• The (human) self endures through time (Christian, Jewish, Muslim)

St. Augustine St. Thomas Aquinas

Theologian, Philosopher Theologian, Philosopher
Integrates Platonic ideas with the Self-knowledge is dependent on our

tenets of Christianity experience of the world around us
(objects in our environment)
Platonic Realm of Idea = Christian We don’t encounter ourselves as
Philosophy of a Transcendent God isolated minds or selves, but rather
The self strives to achieve union always as agents interacting with our
with God through faith and reason environment
St. Thomas Aquinas “The things that we love

tell us what we are.”
The labels we attribute to ourselves are
taken from the things we encounter in
our environment
Examples: Gardener, Artist, Kind, Loving

St. Thomas Aquinas

Experiencing that something exists
doesn’t tell us what it is
If St. Thomas tells us that our knowledge is based on our encounter of things,
Knowing and learning about a thing
Does this mean that we get to know requires a long process of
everything simply by experiencing it? understanding; same with the mind and
the self – with experience and reason
Modern Philosophy
14th Century to the early 20th Century
Genuine knowledge has to be based

HOW CAN I BE SURE THAT THE on independent rational inquiry and
real world experimentation, rather
SELF EXISTS? WHAT ARE THE than dependent on knowledge
PROOFS THAT THE SELF EXISTS? handed down by authorities

Modern Philosophy Modern Philosophy

Rene Descartes 14th Century to the early 20th Century
A Rationalist; Mathematician, Philosopher, Scientist
Anthropocentric
 Thinkers began to reject the scholastics’ “Cogito ergo sum”
(medieval thinkers) excessive reliance on  “I think, therefore, I am”
authority  Human identity: self-
awareness
 Period of radical social, political and
 The Self if a thinking thing Thinking (Spiritual) Self Pineal Gland Physical Body
intellectual developments Governed by laws Governed by
which can exist of reason & God’s
will
the laws of
nature
independently of the body Dualism
Modern Philosophy Modern Philosophy

John Locke 14th Century to the early 20th Century 14th Century to the early 20th Century
An Empiricist; Physician & Philosopher
 Tabula rasa - the (human) mind is a "blank slate"

 Knowledge originates in our direct sense experience.
 The self endures because of memory
 Conscious awareness and memory of previous DAVID HUME IMMANUEL KANT
 Impressions – basic sensations of  A priori concepts
experiences are the keys to understanding the self
experiences  The self actively organizes all the
 The self is a “bundle or collection of sensations and thoughts into a picture
different perceptions, which succeed each that makes sense to each one of us
other in an inconceivable rapidity, and are  Self as subject, not object
in perpetual flux and movement”

Modern Philosophy
Sigmund Freud
Father of Psychoanalysis
 The self is multi-tiered/multi-layered:

• Conscious – refers to those thoughts
and feelings that we are aware of
• Preconscious – experiences that are GILBERT RYLE PAUL CHURCHLAND &
unconscious but could become  The self is defined in terms of behavior PATRICIA CHURCHLAND
conscious with little effort
that is presented to the world Neurophilosophy
• Unconscious – contains all drives, urges  The self is a pattern of behavior, the  Association of brain and the mind
or instincts that are beyond our
awareness but motivate our feelings, tendency or disposition for a person to  The physical brain gives us a sense of
thoughts and behavior behave in a certain way in certain self
circumstances
Contemporary Philosophy Contemporary Philosophy

Late 19th Century Late 19th Century
EDMUND HUSSERL
 Political Revolution Father of Phenomenology
 Industrial Revolution  We experience our self as a unity which the in mental and
physical are seamlessly woven together
 Scientific advancements and growth of
materialism MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
 Theory of Evolution  “Lived Body” -an entity that can never be objectified or known
in a completely objective sort of way, as opposed to the “body
 More humanist as a response to the so-called as object” of the dualists
alienation of the human person  “There is no duality of substance but a dialectic of living being in
its biological milieu”

WHICH AMONG THESE

PHILOSOPHIES CAN YOU RELATE
WITH? HOW DO THEY AFFECT THE
WAY YOU SEE YOURSELF?
The Self in the Sociological Perspective
Classical sociological perspective:

the self is a relatively stable set of
perceptions of who we are in
SOCIOLOGY relation to ourselves, others, and
The self as a product of modern society among other constructions to social systems

The Self in the Sociological Perspective The Looking Glass Self

(Charles Horton Cooley)
 The self is socially constructed in the A person’s self grows out of
sense that it is shaped through a person´s social
interaction with other people interactions with others
 As with socialization in general, the The view of ourselves
individual is not a passive participant in comes from the
this process and have a powerful contemplation of personal
influence over how this process and its qualities and impressions of
consequences develop how others perceive us
The Looking Glass Self Johari Window

(Charles Horton Cooley) (Joseph Luft & Harrington Ingham)
 Actually, how we see ourselves does not come from who we really Technique used to Known to the self Not known to the self
are, but rather from how we believe others see us
enhance the
individual's Known to
Open/Arena Blindspot
others
perception on self
and others.
Not known
HOW MY HOW MY HOW MY EX- to others
Hidden/Facade Unknown
PARENTS GIRLFRIEND GIRLFRIEND

SEE ME SEES ME SEES ME

THE SELF BASED ON

PSYCHOLOGY PSYCHOANALYTIC APPROACH
The self based on psychoanalytic approach and cognitive construction
Structure of the Self ID (Biological Self)

(Sigmund Freud) Pleasure Principle
 Natural part of the self

 Animalistic nature of man
 Pleasure seeking part of the personality
 Determined by the genetic code
ID EGO SUPEREGO  Providing the raw materials
 Setting the boundary conditions for development

The id represents the basic need of man. SUPEREGO (Social Self)

If it is not satisfied, it could result to stress and tension. Idealistic Principle
If satisfied, it could give you comfort and joy.
The superego incorporates

the values and morals of
society which are learned
If the id is properly If the id is angered or provoked it from one's parents and
controlled it could bring or
could destroy not only himself
warmth and comfort but also his surrounding
others
EGO (Psychological Self)

Reality Principle
 The only region of the mind that is in contact

with reality; it operates to fulfil the reality
principle
 The ego constantly tries to reconciles the
irrational wants of the id and the superego
with the realistic demands of the world

Ego Defense Mechanisms

 When the scale is out of
balance, it is the
responsibility of the EGO to
mediate the conflict between
the ID and SUPEREGO
 Weak ego will lead to  suppression of unwanted
 when the ego is threatened, it
ANXIETY impulses by substituting it with  redirecting unacceptable urges to less
unconsciously forgets or block
a creative cultural threatening people or objects
 To protect the ego from accomplishments unpleasant feelings
anxiety, we use DEFENSE

Projection
MECHANISMS  attributing the unwanted
 the ego may revert back to an
impulse to another
earlier stage during times of
person.
stress or anxiety
Functionalism
(William James)
 Focused on the operation of conscious activity

• Example: thinking and learning
 Study of man’s adjustment to his environment THE SELF AS A COGNITIVE
• Materials
• Capacities
CONSTRUCTION
• Skills

Symbolic Interactionism Imaginary Audience

(George Herbert Mead)
 Adolescents are thought to believe that others are always watching
Symbolic Interactionism - the self is and evaluating them, and that they are special and unique
created and developed through human
interaction
“I and the Me” self
 Two aspects of self awareness:
 The “me” is the socialized aspect of the
person Sociologist George Herbert Mead argued that self-identity is
formed from two parts: the I and the me. Social expectations—
 The “I” is the active aspect of the person the generalized other—inform the development of the me part.
Self-Concept Real and Ideal Self

(Carl Rogers)
 Mental representation  A person's ideal self may not be
 What we look like consistent with what actually happens
 How we feel in different types of in life and experiences of the person
situation  Hence, a difference may exist between a
 How we behave towards others person's ideal self and actual experience
 What do we do at work  Carl Rogers believed that for a person to
 What are the roles we have in the family achieve self-actualization they must be
or society in a state of congruence

Self as defined by Social Comparison How does the social comparison process work?
(Leon Festinger)
TEMPORAL COMPARISON SOCIAL COMPARISON  Depending on the level of
 Considering your present  Evaluating yourself in someone’s motivation, he/she
condition in relation to how you comparison to others – using may have the tendency to
were in the past others as a basis for evaluating
your attributes compare himself/herself with
others either in an UPWARD or
DOWNWARD kind of
comparison
Two Modes of Social Comparison Two Modes of Downward Social Comparison

1. Upward social comparison 1. Passive downward comparison
 When we compare ourselves with those who we believe are better than us  Happens when a person takes into consideration the previous condition in
 Often focus on the desire to improve our current level of ability making comparison
 A highly motivated person tends to engage in upward comparisons, and usually assume  Example: A low performing student comparing himself/herself with a worse
himself/herself as better or equal to the “best person”
off student
 Studies have shown that if given a chance, people choose to make upward comparisons
instead of downward ones 2. Active downward comparison
2. Downward social comparison  Happens when a person compares himself/herself with others by demeaning
 When we compare themselves to others who are worse off than ourselves or causing harm to them
 Often centered on making ourselves feel better about our abilities  By derogating the target or causing harm to him/her, this person generates a
 A person who is unhappy or is unmotivated usually engages in this to feel better about situation in which the target is worse off than him/her, therefore giving
himself/herself him/her the chance to make a downward comparison

Self-Evaluation and Self-Enhancement Self-Esteem

 Motivation plays a role in this model and is manifested by self-  Used to describe a person's overall
evaluation and self-enhancement sense of self-worth or personal
1. Self-evaluation occurs when someone looks for positive traits in value
himself/herself based on the best person he/she compares  In other words, it refers to how
himself/herself with much you appreciate and like
2. Self-enhancement, on the other hand, occurs when the person yourself
questions which aspects of himself/herself need to be improved to  Self-esteem is often seen as a
reach the level of goodness of the person he/she is comparing personality trait, which means that it
himself/herself with tends to be stable and enduring
Reference Group The Creation of Identities

 A group to which an individual  One’s identity must balance the need to be
or another group is compared similar to one’s reference group with the
need to be a unique individual
 Sociologists call any group that
• Children become aware of the need for a group
individuals use as a standard identity and are often afraid or acting
for evaluating themselves and differently
their own behavior a • Teens often seem torn between the need to
reference group assert their own individual identity and the
need to conform to their reference group
• New identities are forged in relation to work,
parenthood, economic status, and ageing

Western Self vs. non-western Self
ANTHROPOLOGY
The self and person in contemporary anthropology Western Self Non-western self
& the self being embedded in culture  autonomous and egocentric  identity shared with others and
derived from a culture instead of
a “self”
Individualism vs. Collectivism Individualism

Being dependent
Individual rights take Independence is upon others is often
center stage highly valued considered shameful
Individualism Collectivism or embarrassing
 A human being has an  A human being is an integral
individualistic nature and is an part of the universe and the The rights of People often place a
independent part of the society People tend to be individuals tend to greater emphasis on
universe and the society  People are fundamentally self-reliant take a higher standing out and
connected precedence being unique
 Duty towards all others is a very
important matter

Collectivism
Social rules focus on
promoting selflessness Working as a group and
and putting the supporting others is
community needs ahead essential
of individual needs
People are encouraged Families and

THE SELF IN ORIENTAL/EASTERN THOUGHT
to do what's best for communities have a The self as embedded in relationships and through spiritual development in
society central role Confucian thought
Asian Schools of Thought Buddhism

(Siddhartha Gautama)
1 Buddhism Buddha discovered why life is filled with suffering
and how humanity can escape from this unhappy
2 Hinduism existence
3 Taoism Experience in the transformations of

consciousness and stages of meditation
4 Confucianism

Buddhism Buddhism
(Siddhartha Gautama) (Siddhartha Gautama)
Buddha denies the self: no self, no individual
Everything is impermanent in the continuous
becoming of lived experience
No-self is the nature of an intuitive and subjective
perception toward oneself beyond the ordinary range
of human experience that is full of the anxieties and Implies emphasis on compassion for others and
defensiveness conduct ourselves with restraint out of a sense of
responsibility
To study the self is to deny the self
When self becomes anxiety-free, one can act spontaneously
Hinduism Hinduism
(Fusion of various Indian cultures and traditions) (Fusion of various Indian cultures and traditions)
 In simple terms, the law of karma suggests that

Hindus believe that an individual’s action a person's mental and physical actions are
(karma) – the bad or good actions that binding
the individual performed in a previous  The law of karma is very much verifiable in real
life determines his or her caste life
 We all have seen in our own lives, and in
nature too, that we reap what we sow
 Our successes and failures are mostly products
of our own thoughts and actions

Taoism Confucianism
(Lao-Tzu) (Confucius)
Relativity of opposites (i.e., yin and yang)
The Self in Confucianism is the starting
Self does not exist without the existence of the
other
point of a constructive process
For western philosophers, the concept of the self is the end
of their searches
Self as a separate identity is supported by the equal and
opposite sensation of otherness
Confucianism Confucianism
(Confucius) (Confucius)
Who am I?
It is only through the continuous opening up of
the self to others that the self can maintain its
wholesome personal identity
Confucianism
A person who is not responsive to others is self-centered
Where am I Who will I

from? be?

Confucianism Confucianism
(Confucius) (Confucius)
Filial piety is a foundational concept in the thought
Confucian self is relational and interdependent of Confucius
Belief that certain sets of human relationships are basis for moral  to be good to one's parents
community  to take care of one's parents
 to engage in good conduct not just towards parents but also
Elder and Friend outside the home so as to bring a good name to one's
Ruler and Father Husband
younger and parents and ancestors
minister and son and wife
brother friend  to ensure male heirs
 display sorrow for their parents’ sickness and death
 to bury their parents and carry out sacrifices after their death

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What are the main philosophical perspectives on the self discussed in the document?

What are the main philosophical perspectives on the self discussed in the document?

How does Plato view the self/soul?

How does Plato view the self/soul?

Understanding the Self (2nd Term, AY 2019-2020)

THE SELF FROM VARIOUS

HOW DO YOU ANSWER THE QUESTION:

IN WHAT WAYS DO I GET

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 1

The Ancient Triumvirate

The Ancient Triumvirate The Ancient Triumvirate

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 2

The Ancient Triumvirate The Ancient Triumvirate

The Ancient Triumvirate The Ancient Triumvirate

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 3

The Ancient Triumvirate The Ancient Triumvirate

The Ancient Triumvirate

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 4

Medieval Philosophy Medieval Philosophy

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 5

St. Augustine St. Thomas Aquinas

Integrates Platonic ideas with the Self-knowledge is dependent on our

St. Thomas Aquinas “The things that we love

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 6

St. Thomas Aquinas

Genuine knowledge has to be based

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 7

Modern Philosophy Modern Philosophy

Modern Philosophy Modern Philosophy

 Tabula rasa - the (human) mind is a "blank slate"

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 8

 The self is multi-tiered/multi-layered:

Contemporary Philosophy Contemporary Philosophy

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 9

WHICH AMONG THESE

The Self in the Sociological Perspective

Classical sociological perspective:

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 10

The Self in the Sociological Perspective The Looking Glass Self

The Looking Glass Self Johari Window

PARENTS GIRLFRIEND GIRLFRIEND

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 11

THE SELF BASED ON

Structure of the Self ID (Biological Self)

 Natural part of the self

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 12

The id represents the basic need of man. SUPEREGO (Social Self)

The superego incorporates

EGO (Psychological Self)

 The only region of the mind that is in contact

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 13

Ego Defense Mechanisms

anxiety, we use DEFENSE

 Focused on the operation of conscious activity

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 14

Symbolic Interactionism Imaginary Audience

Self-Concept Real and Ideal Self

UNIT 1: The Self from Various Perspectives 15