CHAPTER 1

The
Philosophical
Perspective of the
Self
 UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
CHAPTER 1

Course Topic: PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SELF

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. analyze the different representation and conceptualization of the self from various perspectives;
2. explore the issues and concerns regarding self from various perspectives; and
3. write their own philosophies that stand to what they believe in.

Introduction

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence,
especially in an academic discipline. The philosophy of self is the study of the many conditions of
identity that make one subject of experience distinct from other experiences. The self is sometimes
understood as a unified being essentially connected to consciousness, awareness, and agency. It is
a particular theory that someone has about how to live or how to deal with a particular situation.
An academic discipline concerned with investigating the nature of significance of ordinary and
scientific beliefs. It investigates the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning their
implications, relationships as well as reality, knowledge, moral judgment etc.
Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover reasons and principles of everything.
It goes beyond the scientific investigation by exploring all areas of knowledge such as religion,
psychology, politics, and even medicine. Hence, the etymological definition of philosophy “love
of wisdom” could pertain to the desire for truth by formulating never ending questions to provide
answers to every inquiry about the nature human existence. The nature of self is a topic of interest
among philosophers.
The philosophical framework for understanding the self was first introduced by the ancient
Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In particular, Socrates: “Know thyself”. But
what exactly does “know thyself” mean? What is self and the qualities that define it? This chapter
presents an overview of the philosophical perspective of the self to assist students identify one’s
self—to gain knowledge. It intends to give a wider perspective in understanding the self. The
different views of prominent philosophers regarding the nature of self are discussed and while
there are disagreements in how philosophers view of the self, most of them agree that self-
knowledge Is a prerequisite to a happy and meaningful life.
The quest for the nature and scope of the human Self has been one of the most important
intellectual tasks in western thought. Nevertheless, It was not until Descartes and the rise of
modern philosophy, that the cluster of problems we now associate to the notion of ‘Self’ were
identified as such (eg.: self-identity, the nature of self-reflection, the epistemological status of self-
evidence, the unity of conscious experience, among others). What was more, this set of problems
were taken to be among the most crucial philosophical tasks to be addressed in the upcoming
centuries. Much of philosophy concerns with the fundamental nature of self. The Greeks were the
ones who seriously questioned myths and moved away from them to understand reality and
respond to perennial questions of the self.
 The following are discussions of different perspective and understandings of the self
according to its prime movers.

PRE-ASSESSMENT

TASK #1
Your Personal Identity
“Who Are You?”

Roles
What are the responsibilities you have taken in your
life?

Personal Core Learning

How would you describe yourself in What have you learned and what are
one sentence? you hoping to learn?

Your Personal Identity

“Who Are You?”
 Family History Values
Introduce your family What is really important to
you?

Strengths
What skills and talents do Hopes for the Future
you have? Where do you hope to be in
5-10 years?

Interests
What are you most
interested in?
Discussion:

PHILOSOPHY
• The etymological definition of philosophy is love of wisdom.
• Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles of
everything.
• The nature of the self is a topic of interest among philosophers.

Notable Philosophers:
1. Socrates
• He was the first Greek philosopher to seriously explore questions of ethics.
• He was the first thinker to focus on the full power of reason on the human self: who we are, who
we should be, and who we will become.
• Dualistic - Every Man is composed of Body and Soul
• There is soul before body, the soul exist in the realm of ideas.

“An unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates

• Knowledge is brought out by Socratic Approach.
In Socrates’ concept of REALITY, it consists of two (2) dichotomous Realms: Physical realm and
Ideal realm.
PHYSICAL Realm – changeable, transient, and imperfect. The Body belongs to the physical realm.
IDEAL Realm – unchanging, eternal, and immortal. The Soul belongs to the ideal realm.
• The Socratic Method (Introspection) – a method of carefully examining our thoughts and
emotions to gain self-knowledge. (Reflecting, talking to oneself).
• The soul strives for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve an exalted state
of life. ”Our preoccupation with bodily needs such as food, drink, sex, pleasure, material
possessions, and wealth keep us from attaining wisdom. “ - SOCRATES
• A person can have a meaningful and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the value
of himself that can be achieved through constant soul-searching.
2. PLATO : The Soul is Immortal
• Dichotomy between ideal (World of Forms) and material World
• The soul is the most Divine aspect of the self.
• The self consists of three parts: Rational, Spirited, and Appetitive. The self consists of three parts:
Reason, Spirit or Passion, and Physical Appetite.

RATIONAL SPIRITED APPETITIVE

The rational soul, enables Enables the person to Includes our basic biological
the person to think, reason, experience happiness, joy, needs such as hunger, thirst,
reflect, analyze and do other sadness, abominations, and sexual desire.
cognitive function. anger and other emotional
feelings.

• These 3 elements of ourselves are in a dynamic relationship with one another, sometimes in
conflict.
 • Rational is responsible in sorting things out and exerting control, to restore a harmonious
relationship among the 3 elements of ourselves.
“Genuine happiness can only be achieved by people who consistently make sure that their Reason is in
control of their Spirits and Appetites” – PLATO

3. ARISTOTLE: The SOUL is the essence of the self

• For Aristotle, the body and soul are not two separate elements but are one thing.
• The SOUL is simply the Form of the BODY, and is not capable of existing without the body.
• The soul is that which makes a person a person.
• Aristotle suggested that anything with life has soul.
• His discussion about the self centers on the kinds of soul possesed by man.
• He introduced the three kinds of soul: vegetative, sentient, and rational.

SENTIENT RATIONAL
VEGETATIVE
Includes the sensual desires, Is what makes a man human. It
Includes the physical body that
feelings, and EMOTIONS. includes the INTELLECT that
can GROW.
makes man know and
understand things.
“The rational nature of the self is to lead a GOOD, FLOURISHING, and FULFILLING life.”
- Aristotle-

4. ST. AUGUSTINE: I am doubting, therefore I am

• St. Augustine integrated the ideas of Plato and Christianity.
• Two aspect: (1) Imperfect, earthly and (2) capable of reaching immortality
• He developed a more unified perspective on the body and soul.
• The soul is what governs and defines the human person of the self.
• The soul is united with the body so that man may be entire and complete.
• The physical body is different from and inferior to its inhabitant, the immortal soul.
• Augustine described that humankind is created in the image and likeness of God.
• Augustine believed that God is transcendent and everything created by God who is all good is good.
• The self is known only through knowing God.
• God is transcendent and that the self seeks to be united with God through FAITH and REASON.
• In Augustine’s mission to discover the truth on the existence of God, he developed the fundamental
concept of the human person and thus, provided the philosophical principle, “I am doubting, therefore
I am”
“Knowledge can only come by seeing the TRUTH that dwells within us.”
- St. Augustine-

5. RENE DESCARTES: I think therefore I am

• For him, the act of thinking about the self – of being self-consciuous – is in itself proof that there is
self.
• For Descartes, the essence of the self – a thinking entity that doubts, understands, analyzes, questions,
and reasons.

Two (2) Dimensions of the Self:

THINKING SELF (mind) PHYSICAL BODY

Is the nonmaterial, immortal, conscious Is the material, mortal, non-thinking
being, and independent of the physical entity, fully governed by the physical
laws of the universe. laws of nature.
 *The soul & body are independent of one another and each can exist and function without the other.

6. JOHN LOCKE: The self is consciousness

• The Human mind at birth is like a Tabularasa or Blank slate.
• He felt that the self, or personal identity, is constructed primarily from sense experiences – or more
specifically, what we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. These experiences shape and mold the self
throughout a person’s life.

7. DAVID HUME: There is no self

• Hume suggests that if people carefully examine their sense experience through the process of
introspection, they will discover that there is no self.
• According to Hume, what people experience is just a bundle or collection of different perception,
impressions, sensations, ideas, thoughts, and images.
“The idea of personal identity is a result of IMAGINATION”
- David Hume-
8. IMMANUEL KANT: We construct the self
• According to Kant, it is the self that makes experiencing an intelligible world possible because it is
the self that is actively organizing and synthesizing all of our thoughts and perceptions.
• In other words, the self constructs its own reality creating a world that is familiar and predictable.
• Through our rationality, the self transcends sense experience.

9. SIGMUND FREUD: The self is Multilayered

• The self consists of three layers:

CONSCIOUS PRECONSCIOUS UNCONSCIOUS

Is governed by the reality Is located between the Contains the basic instinctual
principle and is organized in conscious and unconscious drives that would be considered
ways that are rational, practical, part of the self that is not socially taboo and is governed
and appropriate. threatening and is easily
brought to mind.
by the pleasure principle .

10. GILBERT RYLE: The self is the way people behave

• The self is best understood as a pattern of behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person to
behave in a certain way in certain circumstances.
 • The self is the same as bodily behavior.
“I ACT therefore I am.” -
Gilbert Ryle-

11. PAUL CHURCHLAND: The self is the BRAIN

• The self is inseparable from the brain and the physiology of the body.
• All we have is the brain and so, if the brain is gone, there is no self.
• For Churchland, the Physical brain and not the imaginary mind, gives us our sense of self.

12. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY: The self is embodied subjectivity

• All knowledge of our selves and our world is based on subjective experience.
• The self can never be truly objectified or known in a completely objective sort of way.

ASSESSMENT
UNDERSTANDING MYSELF

Knowing oneself is critical to being an effective member of the society as well as being
successful in life, work, and relationships. Your personal identity influences everything you do,
and it changes and evolves over time.

The purpose of this subject is to help you deepen your understanding and appreciation for who you
are as a person. You will explore how you see yourself through the lenses of personal identity,
your skills and talents, roles, values, personal core, and how you meet your psychological needs.
You will also examine how you respond to the pressures of changes and transitions in your life.

You will have an opportunity to examine how your personal identity has been shaped by a variety
of people and experiences. You will also have opportunities to think about and discuss your values,
interests, hopes for the future, as well as, your strengths and challenges. You will learn about how
your psychological needs are the primary source that motivates and drives your behavior.
TASK #2

Self Survey

Centering on similarities/differences of self representations and conceptualizations and the

various identified influences on:

1. Do I really know myself? Why do you say so.

2. What led up to this self? (Does your past influence you in any way or not).

3. On the belief about life and death, what do you think will happen to yourself after you die?

ASSIGNMENT: Reflection Paper

What is your Philosophy in life and Among the Philosophers discussed,

who among of them is aligned to what you believe in. Explain.

Deadline of the Activity and reflection is on September 1, 2021, THURSDAY until 12

midnight. The activities you will pass will serve as your attendance, if you can’t pass it on
time you will be mark as absent.

You can pass it as early as you finish it, don’t wait for your classmates this is individual work.
There will be plus point for the first five who pass his/her work early ( but don’t rush your
answers) and most importantly those who have the same work only get half the score, they
will divide it in 100% . That’s all. Always be safe…..