Philosophical Perspective of The Self

Philosophical
Perspective of
the Self
Learning Objectives:
At the end of this chapter the students would be able to:
1. Explain the role of philosophy in
understanding the concept of self;
2. Discuss the different concepts of the self
from the philosophical perspective;
3. Differentiate the various concepts of the
self and identify their similarities; and
4. Develop your own philosophy of the self.
Ask yourself
1. How do you perceive and define yourself?
2. What unique qualities or experiences make you
stand out?
3. What events or experiences have led to significant
transformations in your life?
4. How is your self connected to your body?
5. How is your relationships with other shape your
identity?
6. What are your thoughts on what happens to your
sense of self after death?
What is
philosophy all
about?
Phytagoras
the first to
use the term
philosophy
Philo Sophia
Love Wisdom
the correct
a strong desire for a
application of
particular object
knowledge
Philosophy
meaning "love of wisdom,"
reflects the pursuit of truth
by continuously
questioning and seeking
answers about human
existence.
"What will you gain
from philosophy?"
Critical Thinking Skills
Logical Skills
Open-mindedness
Enhanced communication
skills
Reflection
Reasoning
Resiliency
"Know thyself"
emphasizes self-
awareness,
prompting questions
about the self's
definition and
attributes.
Socrates
An unexamined life is not
worth living
every man is dualistic
composed of body and soul
Two important aspects of his
personhood
Body
imperfect and impermanent
Soul
Socrates perfect and permanent
Socrates' two (2) dichotomous realms
Physical Realm Ideal Realm
changeable, unchanging,
transient, and eternal, and
imperfect immortal
the body the soul belongs
belongs to the to the realm
realm
Socrates
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.
According to him:
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 as food,
drink, sex, pleasure, material possessions, and
wealth keep us from attaining wisdom.
The individual person can have a meaningful and
a happy life only if he become virtuous and knows
the value of himself that can be achieved through
incessant soul-searching.
The Self is an
Immortal Soul
He believed in the existence of
the mind and soul.
Mind and soul is given in

perfection with God.
Plato
Introduces the idea of a three-part soul/self
(tripartite):
Reason – the divine essence that enables us
to think deeply, make wise choices, and
achieve a true understanding of eternal
truths.
Physical appetite – includes our basic
biological needs (hunger, thirst, and sexual
desire).
Spirit or passion – includes basic emotions
(love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, and
Plato
empathy).
Plato’s concept of two worlds
The world of forms (non-physical ideas)

Real and permanent
the soul belongs to the world
The world of sense (reality)

Temporary and only a replica of the
ideal world
the physical body and the sensory
experiences belongs to this world
The Soul is the Essence
of the Self
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
Aristotle the body.
believed that the soul is what
makes living things alive, and it is
what defines who we are.
Aristotle
said all living things have a soul, but
humans are special because we can
think and reason.
Aristotle's three types of soul:
1 2 3
Vegetative Sentient Rational
Soul Soul Soul
includes the includes sensual includes includes

physical body desires, feelings the intellect that
that can grow and emotions man know and
understand things.
"I am doubting,
therefore I am"
blended Plato's ideas with Christian
teachings.
believed the soul is immortal and more
important than the body.
saw the body and soul as connected, like
spouses.
thought that the soul governs us and
defines our essence.
said humans are made in God's image, so
St. Augustine they naturally seek goodness.
“I THINK THEREFORE I AM”
A French philosopher
the father of modern philosophy.
is famous for his COGITO ERGO SUM
According to him, thinking about
oneself proves one's existence.
He saw the self as a thinking entity
that questions, understands, and
Rene Descartes reasons.
Descartes' two (2) aspects of the self:
The Thinking Physical

Self Body
The Self is Consciousness
An English philosopher who believed that

the human mind at birth is tabula rasa or a
blank slate.
He felt that the self is constructed
primarily from sense experience. In this
experience, people gains knowledge from
what they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.
The self are being shape and molded
John Locke because of this experience throughout
his/her life.
There is no Self
A Scottish philosopher
suggests that if people carefully
examine their sense experience
through the process of
introspection
He said our experiences are made
of strong and lively sensations
called "impressions" and less lively
thoughts called "ideas." These
David Hume feelings are always changing and
never constant.
The moment you take that
first bite, you feel the
warmth of the melted
cheese, the rich taste of
the tomato sauce, and the
satisfying crunch of the
crust.
These intense sensations you

directly get from tasting,
feeling, and smelling the pizza
are the "impressions."
thinking about how
amazing that pizza was.
remembering the flavors,
imagining the texture, and
maybe even picture the
restaurant where you
enjoyed it.
These thoughts and

mental images that
come to your mind are
the "ideas."
We Construct the Self
German philosopher
believe that it is the self that makes
experiencing an intelligible world possible since
it is the self that is actively organizing and
synthesizing all of our thoughts and
perceptions.
believes that the self is an organizing principle
that makes a unified and intelligible experience
possible.
the self constructs its own reality creating a
world that is familiar and predictable.
through our rationality, people were able to
understand certain abstract ideas that have no
Immanuel Kant corresponding physical object or sensory
experience
The Self is Multilayered
An Austrian psychoanalyst
Holds that the self

consists of three layers:
The conscious self
The unconscious self
Sigmund Freud The preconscious self
The
Mental
Iceberg
“I act therefore I am”
A British philosopher
believes that the self is best
understood as a pattern of
behavior where the person has the
tendency or disposition on how to
behave in certain way in certain
circumstances.
He is convinced that the mind
expresses the entire system of
Gilbert Ryle thoughts, emotions, and actions
that make up the human self.
“The self is the brain”
A Canadian philosopher
believes that the self is the brain.
He advocated the idea of
eliminative materialism or the idea
that the self is inseparable from the
brain and the physiology of the
body.
Mind is nothing but an imagination.
It is the brain and not the imaginary
Paul
Churchland mind that gives us our sense of self.
“The Self is embodied
subjectivity”
A French philosopher who argues
that all knowledge about the self is
based on the phenomena of
experience.
All knowledge of our selves and our
world is based on subjective
experience.
The self can never truly objectified
Maurice or known in a complete objective
Merleau-Ponty sort of way.

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Philosophical

Mind and soul is given in

The world of forms (non-physical ideas)

The world of sense (reality)

includes the includes sensual includes includes

The Thinking Physical

An English philosopher who believed that

These intense sensations you

These thoughts and

Holds that the self

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