MODULE 1
THE SELF ACCORDING TO PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE
Learning Outcomes
At the end of this module, you should be able to:
1. Explain the development of the self from the different philosophical perspectives.
2. Construct a concept of self based on the philosophers’ perspectives (with the
inclusion of what they say regarding the influences to self)
3. Express students’ deeper understanding of who they are based on the different
philosophical perspectives.
Introduction
To know the self is one of the most significant in human’s life. We always search
ourselves. The question who am I is a question that philosophers tried to answer. It is a
question of finding one’s self and identity.
The aim of this module is to tackle the self according to philosophical
perspective. By answering the question who am I, you will be learning the ideas about
self according to various philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, Rene Descartes, John
Locke, and St. Augustine. You are expected to understand and examine the
philosophers’’ idea of the self as well as conceptualize your own idea of self according
to philosophical perspective.
1. THE MEANING OF PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy derived from two Greek words, “philo” and “Sophia” which is translated as
“love of wisdom”. Philosophy is a field of study that deals about the fundamental
questions of human existence such including the question of the self, “who am I?’
Philosopher begins with wonder, it begins with questions. The pre-Socratic philosophy
(Philosophers before or contemporary of Socrates) tried to detach themselves from
Greek mythology. Their inquiry is of natural sciences, who figured out the origin of all
things and the universe. Philosophy has five main branches; (1) metaphysics (reality),
(2) Epistemology (knowledge), (3) Ethics (morality), (4) Aesthetics (art/beauty), and
logic (correct thinking and reasoning).
2. SELF ACCORDING TO VARIOUS PHILSOPHERS
A. SOCRATES
“The Unexamined Life is not worth living” – Socrates
While the pre-Socratic philosophers were busy finding the origin of the nature and the
universe. It was Socrates who first study the problem of self. The main venture of his
philosophy found in his famous dictum “Know thyself”.
For Socrates, to know one’s self is an imperative and requirement. It is an imperative
or command to evaluate one’s strengths and limitations. It is a requirement since
examining ourselves leads into discovery of the self that leads to good, virtuous, and
happy life. Examining our own self also meant examination of our customs, beliefs, and
practices. But how do we examine ourselves? The answer is Socratic Method:
Socratic Method, also known as dialectic method is the foundation of critical
thinking, a method of questioning that challenges accuracy and
completeness of thinking in a way that acts to move people towards their
ultimate goal.
Socratic Method is question and answer questions. It is compare with a teacher
ask his students’ questions and try to clarify certain ideas, or like in the court
where lawyers ask and clarify things. The goal of this method is to arrive the true
meaning of our selves. For more information about Socratic Method, you can
watch this video: [Link]
B. PLATO
Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire,
emotions, and knowledge. - Plato
Plato, a student Socrates, described self as which refers to the human psyche. The self,
according to Plato, is composed of three elements; reason, spirit, and appetite:
The appetitive element of the psyche includes one’s desires, pleasures, physical
satisfactions, comforts, etc. The spirited element of the psyche that is excited
when given challenges, or fights back when agitated, or fights for justice when
unjust practices are evident. The mind, however, is what Plato considers as the
most superior of all elements. He refers to this element as the nous which means
the conscious awareness of the self. It decides, analyses, thinks ahead, proposes
what is best, and rationally controls both the appetitive and spirited elements of the
psyche. (Understanding the self: 7) 1
1
Villafuerte PhD., RPm, RPsy, Salvacion L. 2018. Understanding the Self. Quezon City: Nieme
Publishing House Co. LTD. 7.
According to Plato, “human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion,
and knowledge”. When the appetitive and spirit controlled the reason, disharmony of our
soul and lives occur. Reason must control the other two elements so that ignorance
may not occur and happiness can be attained.
The harmony or our behavior depends upon the harmony of these three elements.
Disharmony happens when the desire (appetite) and emotion (spirit) governed our
reason. Reason must control and prevail over others. When these three elements work
together harmoniously, lead to harmonious, virtuous, and just life.
C. ST. AUGUSTINE
Every man whatsoever his condition, desires to be happy. –Augustine
Augustine’s concept of self is based on a notion that a human person is bifurcated or
dualism of body and soul. A soul, which dwells in the world which is imperfect yearns to
be with the Divine, which is God.
Augustine’s development of the self can be achieved through self-presentation and self-
realization. In line with his notion of the self is the idea that human’s goal is happiness:
Along with his idea is his notion that self is in search of happiness, because after
all, we, humans, are eudemonic characters: our satisfaction in this life is derived
from happiness. And with happiness, comes the two fundamental rules of man that
are always intertwined: love and justice. 2
To be happy is to love. We will have the distortion of ourselves when we love things
more than ourselves and God. Loving things improperly lead to unhappiness. To be
truly happy, “we need properly ordered loves, which we can only achieve as we
embrace the spiritual life in deeper ways”3.
D. RENE DESCARTES
“I think, therefore, I am”- Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes begins his conception of the self through a methodic doubt. His famous
dictum, “Cogito ergo sum” translated as “I think, therefore, I am” becomes his ground to
towards the realization of self-knowledge. For Descartes, “the essence of your self—
you are a “thinking thing,” a dynamic identity that engages in all of those mental
operations we associate with being a human self”.
2
[Link]
3
[Link]
The idea of the cogito is the proof that self exists. Even if you doubt or dreaming, there
is one thing that you cannot doubt, the existence of the “I” that doubts. The self or the
“I” is the one that “doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses; that imagines
also, and perceives”:
“Descartes’ discovery of the cogito revolutionize the way we view ourselves and the world
around us. It has also dramatically changed the way we evaluate ourselves. The primary
condition, therefore of the existence of the self, at least according to Descartes, is human
rationality. Simply put, we need reason in order to evaluate our thoughts and actions. We
need reason in order to live fully the demands, challenges, and call of our religion. We
need reason in order to establish firm foundations for universal truth and morals. We need
reason in order to protect ourselves from being savage to one another. We need reason in
order to build and live out our peace”. 4
E. JOHN LOCKE
“No man’s knowledge can go beyond his experience”- John Locke
John Locke, a British philosopher, physician, and politician formulated his idea of the
self in connection to personal identity. For Locke, self is consciousness, and he called it
an intelligent being. Unlike Descartes, Locke does not believed in innate ideas, or that
reason alone is the source of knowledge. Locke’s knowledge of the self comes from
experience:
John Locke suggested another way of looking at the self. Locke opposed the idea that
only reason is the source of knowledge of the self. His proposition is that the self is
comparable to an empty space where everyday experiences contributed to the pile of
knowledge that is put forth on that empty space. Experience, therefore, is an important
requirement in order to have sense data which, through the process of reflection and
analysis, eventually becomes sense perception. (Understanding the self: 9)
John Locke asserts that our idea of the self begins with an empty sheet called Tabula
Rasa. For Locke, “no man’s knowledge can go beyond his experience”. We acquire
knowledge by sensation and reflection. Sensation passed through our senses and by
reflection, means “perceiving, thinking, doubting, believing, reasoning, knowing, and
willing”. Locke described knowledge as “the perception of the connexion of and
agreement, or disagreement and repugnancy of any of our ideas” 5and divided them
among three degrees: intuitive, demonstrative, and sensitive:
“Intuitive knowledge involves direct and immediate recognition of the agreement
or disagreement of two ideas. It yields perfect certainty, but is only rarely available
to us. For example, I know intuitively that a dog is not the same as an elephant.
4
Villafuerte PhD., RPm, RPsy, Salvacion L. 2018. Understanding the Self. Quezon City: Nieme Publishing House Co. LTD. 3-13.
5
[Link]
Demonstrative knowledge is when we perceive the agreement or disagreement
indirectly through a series of intermediate ideas. For example, I know that A is
greater than B and B is greater than C, thus I know demonstratively that A is
greater than C.
Sensitive knowledge is when our sensory ideas are caused by existing things
even when we do not know what causes the idea within us. For example, I have
know that there is something producing the odor I can smell”.6
Conclusion
The prominent philosophers are trying to answer the question who am I. they provided
us with their own ideas about their concept of the self. Knowing oneself is in fact very
significant into our lives. By these ideas of the self, our task is to evaluate these ideas
and make our own concept of self so that we will be able to know who we are and like
the philosophers be able to define who we are as human person.
Activities
Directions:
Video Clip. Formulate your own Philosophy of the Self. Create a minimum of 1
minute video clip that will briefly explain your concept. Provide examples and
illustrations. Submit your video into my messenger account.
Assessment
Directions: Answer the question with clarity. Do not rush, think before you write
and use your time well in answering those questions.
1. Explain the philosophers’’ idea of the self.
2. Explain the importance of the philosophers’’ idea of the self into your life.
Reflection
Directions: Write a one page reflection with a question: Who Am I?
Assignment
Directions: Make your concept of the self according to the idea of the
philosophers through a diagram.
6
[Link]
References
Villafuerte PhD., RPm, RPsy, Salvacion L. 2018. Understanding the Self. Quezon
City: Nieme Publishing House Co. LTD. 3-13
John Locke –Defining Knowledge.
[Link]
John Locke. Britannica. [Link]
Locke#ref308980
Achieving Happiness: Advice from Augustine. Psychology Today:
[Link]
happiness-advice-augustine
