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    1 - The Philosophical Self

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    Ma. Alyzandra G. Lopez
    The document discusses various philosophical perspectives on the concept of self, including key thinkers from Socrates to contemporary philosophers. It examines philosophical views that see the self as composed of different parts like appetites and reason (Plato). Other perspectives discussed are the self as a thinking being distinct from the body (Descartes), as a bundle of perceptions and experiences (Hume), and contemporary views that see the self emerging from neurological processes (Churchland) or existing in the physical body through perception (Merleau-Ponty). The document aims to provide an overview of how philosophers have conceptualized and sought to understand the nature of the self throughout history.

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    1 - The Philosophical Self

    Uploaded by

    Ma. Alyzandra G. Lopez
    21 views4 pages
    The document discusses various philosophical perspectives on the concept of self, including key thinkers from Socrates to contemporary philosophers. It examines philosophical views that see the self as composed of different parts like appetites and reason (Plato). Other perspectives discussed are the self as a thinking being distinct from the body (Descartes), as a bundle of perceptions and experiences (Hume), and contemporary views that see the self emerging from neurological processes (Churchland) or existing in the physical body through perception (Merleau-Ponty). The document aims to provide an overview of how philosophers have conceptualized and sought to understand the nature of the self throughout history.

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    1_The Philosophical Self

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    The document discusses various philosophical perspectives on the concept of self, including key thinkers from Socrates to contemporary philosophers. It examines philosophical views that see the self as composed of different parts like appetites and reason (Plato). Other perspectives discussed are the self as a thinking being distinct from the body (Descartes), as a bundle of perceptions and experiences (Hume), and contemporary views that see the self emerging from neurological processes (Churchland) or existing in the physical body through perception (Merleau-Ponty). The document aims to provide an overview of how philosophers have conceptualized and sought to understand the nature of the self throughout history.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    21 views4 pages

    1 - The Philosophical Self

    Uploaded by

    Ma. Alyzandra G. Lopez
    The document discusses various philosophical perspectives on the concept of self, including key thinkers from Socrates to contemporary philosophers. It examines philosophical views that see the self as composed of different parts like appetites and reason (Plato). Other perspectives discussed are the self as a thinking being distinct from the body (Descartes), as a bundle of perceptions and experiences (Hume), and contemporary views that see the self emerging from neurological processes (Churchland) or existing in the physical body through perception (Merleau-Ponty). The document aims to provide an overview of how philosophers have conceptualized and sought to understand the nature of the self throughout history.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as docx, pdf, or txt
    of 4

    GE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

    MODULE 1:
    THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES

    SECTION 1:
    THE PHILOSOPHICAL SELF

    Topic Learning Objectives:


    At the end of this learning module, the student is expected to:
    a. Articulate the various philosophical views about the self
    b. Examine one’s thoughts and experiences according to the philosophical views of the
    self

    What is Philosophy?
    ● Greek words “philos” which means love and “sophia” which means wisdom, thus,
    philosophy is a “love of wisdom”
    ● study of general and fundamental problems concerning matters like existence, values,
    knowledge, mind, and language
    ● study of the characteristics of the self which determine its identity

    Philosopher Key Concept Description

    Socrates Knowing Thyself is the - Man is a being who wills and thinks and
    proper way to solve knowledge is a virtue while ignorance is a
    (470 – 399 B.C.)
    problems vice;
    - The unexamined life is not worth living, no
    better off than an animal life;
    - Knowing oneself is first an imperative and
    then a requirement, it’s only in the
    recognition of one’s ignorance that a
    person can truly know himself.

    Plato Self is best The Psyche is composed of:


    understood through
    (427 – 347 B.C.) - appetitive (desires, pleasures, physical
    self-examination of
    satisfactions, comforts, etc.)
    the Psyche
    - spirited (part of the psyche that is excited
    when given challenges, or fights back
    when agitated, or fights for justice when
    unjust practices are evident – the hot-
    blooded part of the psyche)
    - the mind (the most superior of all the
    elements, known as the nous, which means
    the conscious awareness of the self)

    St. Augustine Love and Justice as - Development of the self is achieved


    the Foundation of the through self-presentation and self-
    (354 – 430 A.D.)
    Individual Self realization
    - Man is a perfect unity of the body and the
    soul
    - A virtuous life is a dynamism of love, which
    is a constant following of and turning
    towards God
    - Man's end goal is happiness

    Rene Descartes The self is a thinking - Man must use his own mind and thinking
    entity distinct from abilities to investigate, analyze, experiment,
    the body and develop himself. We cannot rely on our
    senses because our sense perceptions can
    often deceive us.
    - The self is discovered through the methodic
    doubt: Everything must be subjected to
    doubt. There will never be certainty in this
    world as long as it passes our senses.

    John Locke The Self as “Tabula - Reason is not the only source of knowledge
    Rasa” (Theory of of the self!
    Personal Identity) - Our concept of personal identity must be
    derived from inner experience. It is the
    experience that creates personal identity.
    - It is in consciousness alone that identity
    exists.

    David Hume The Self is the Bundle - All knowledge is derived from the senses.
    Theory of Mind - All we know about ourselves are just
    collections of different temporary
    impressions or perceptions.
    - Hume harshly claimed that there is NO self!
    - Man has no “clear and intelligible” idea of
    the self
    Immanuel Kant The self is always - The self is beyond the body: The self is not in
    transcendental (The the body; it is outside the body and even
    Transcendental Unity outside the qualities of the body –
    of Apperception) transcendent
    - Man is the only creature who governs and
    directs himself and his actions, who sets up
    ends for himself and his purpose, and who
    freely orders means for the attainment of
    his aims
    - Every man is thus an end in himself and
    should never be treated as a means - a
    plain dictum of reason and justice: Respect
    others as you would respect yourself.

    Sigmund Freud The self as the “I” The “I” is a product of multiple interacting
    processes, systems and schemes as illustrated
    in Freud’s two models namely:

    - The topographical model (conscious and


    unconscious)
    - The structural model (id, ego, and
    superego).

    Gilbert Ryle The mind is nothing - The mind is never separate from the body.
    but a disposition of Dualism is a category of mistake. The
    the self. “thinking I” will never be found because it is
    just a “ghost in the machine.”
    - We will only be able to understand the self
    based from the external manifestation –
    behaviors, expressions, language, desires,
    etc.

    Paul & Patricia The physical brain - “Eliminative materialism” brings forth
    Churchland gives us a sense of neuroscience in understanding the self. A
    self fully matured neuroscience will eliminate
    the need for beliefs since “they are not
    real.”

    Maurice Merleau- Phenomenology of - The physical body is what makes up the


    Ponty Perception subjective self
    - Self and perception are encompassed in
    the physical body. “We are our bodies.”
    Our bodily experiences do not detach the
    subject/object, mind/body,
    rational/irrational.

    In closing, this section discussed the philosophical perspective of understanding the


    self through historical approach. In the ancient and medieval times, we have identified the
    self as the perfection of the soul. To achieve this requires self-examination and self-control. In
    the modern period, understanding the self is recognized in the dialectic synthesis between
    rationalism and empiricism. Contemporary philosophy takes a wide variety of theories in
    understanding the self.

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