FOR MIDTERM EXAMINATION

GEH 111

PHILOSOPHY/PHILOSOPHERS AND WHO ARE YOU?

What is Philosophy?
 From greek word Philo (love) and Sophia (wisdom)
 About finding answers to serious question about self
 Knowledge of all things through causes acquired through use of reasons
What will we get out of Philosophy
 Critical thinking, arguments skills, communication, reasoning, analysis, and
problem solving
11 PHILOSOPHERS AND THEIR PERSPECTIVE OF “SELF”
1. SAINT AUGUSTINE (latin philosopher)
 “The self is known only through knowing God”
 Human kind = image of God
 Soul + Body = entire and complete
2. IMMANUEL KANT (German philosopher)
 “we construct the self”
 Theory of Self-Conciousness
 Human kind creates structure of HUMAN EXPERIENCE
 View “self” is Transcendental
 TWO COMPONENTS
- INNER SELF - rational, intellectual, and psychological states
- OUTER SELF - sense and physical world
3. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY (German)
 “ the self embodies subjectivity”
 EXISTENTIALISM
 More on how we view and give perceptions, Self can never be objectived
 Mind and body are instrinsically connected
4. SOCRATES
 “know thyself”, “Unexamined life is not worth living”
 Every man = body (imperfect) + soul (perfect)
5. RENE DESCARTES
 French philosopher
 “I think therefore, I am” (cogito, ergo sum)
 Act of thinking about self-of being self-conscious - proof that there is self
 Essence self-a thinking entity that doubts, question, and reasons.
6. SIGMUND FRUED
 Strong sense of self (EGO) = capable understanding needs and limits
 ID, EGO, AND SUPEREGO
- ID - pleasure, strives immediate gratification of all desires, wants, and needs
- EGO - cohesive awareness of personality
- SUPEREGO - moral standard and ideals acquire from parents and society
(sense of right or wrong)
- (CONSCIOUS, SUB-CONSCIOUS, AND UNCONSCIOUS)
7. JOHN LOCKE (English)
 “The self is consciousness”
 Tabula Rasa or blank state
 Self is constructed from experiences
8. PLATO (ancient greek)
 “the soul is self”
 Conceives of the self as a “knower”
 Concept of self and knowledge are “Inextricably linked”
 Human person composed of body and soul
 BODY - material and destructible
 SOUL - immaterial and indestructible - HEAD ( RATIONAL SOUL), CHEST
(SPIRITUAL SOUL), AND ABDOMEN (APPRETITIVE SOUL)
9. DAVID HUME (scottish)
 “there is no such thing as self”
 Soul - “substance” - we process substance, we must have impression of it
 we do not and cannot have an impression of idea
 Soul, mind, or self - meaningless words
10. PAUL CHURCHLAND (canadian)
 “the self is brain”
 Eliminative materialism
 Self is inseperable from brain & body. Self and brain are one. No brain no self
11. GILBERT RYLE (british)
 “I act therefore, I am”
 Mind does not exist and can’t be the seat of self
 Self comes from behavior. Human are just collection of behaviors caused by
physical work of body

LESSON 2: SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF
WHAT IS THE SELF?
 SEPARATE - Self is distinct from other selves
 SELF CONTAINED/INDEPENDENT - Self in itself can exist
 CONSISTENT - Self has personality that is enduring and an be expected to persist
 UNITARY - Self is the center of all experiences and thoughts
 PRIVATE - Each person sorts out information, feelings and emotions and thought
processes within the self
SOCIOLOGY
 is the scientific study of society,
 patterns of social relationship, social interaction, and culture of our everyday life.
 latin word “socios” (companion) , greek word “logos” (the study of)
“the study of companionship”
 SOCIAL GROUP - two or more people interacting, sharing, members identify part of the
group
 SOCIAL NETWORKS - ties or connections that link you to your social group
 ORGANIC GROUP - naturally occurring, highly influenced by family
 RATIONAL GROUPS - modern societies, different people, shared interests, own free will.

HERBERT MEAD'S SOCIAL SELF

 "The self is created through social interaction. We learn from our social experiences. "
STAGES OF DEVELOPMENT ACCORDING TO MEAD
 LANGUAGE - capacity express self at the same time comprehending others saying
 PLAY - Individual’s role play or assume the perspective of others
 GAME - individual, societal rules and adheres to it

TWO SIDES OF SELF

 ME - person has learned while interacting, Behaviors, attitude, expectations comprise
the “me”
- exercises social control over self. Sees rule are not broken
 I - unsocialized and spontaneous, individual’s response to the community’s attitude
toward the person
- presents impulses and drives, express individualism and creativity

LESSON 3 ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF

 ANTHROPOLOGY - scientific study oh humanity, concerned with behavior,
biology, culture, societies, and linguistics in both present and past
- considers experience interplay of “nature” (genetic
inheritance)
- “nurture” refers to sociocultural environment
- individual human’s own person
- sense of self develop by interaction (social construction of
self)
 TWO ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE
- EGOCENTRIC - thinking only oneself; self-centered
- SOCIO-CENTRIC - no intrinsic self that can posses enduring qualities; socially
oriented
 FRANZ BOAZ ( FATHER OF MODERN ANTHROPOLOGY) & (FATHER OF AMERICAN
ANTHROPOLOGY)
- first to apply scientific method
- TRADITIONAL ANTHROPOLOGY - self is an animal species - process of
biological evolution
 ANTHROPOLOGICAL VIEWS ON SELF
- KATHERINE EWING - physical organism, psychological functioning, & social
attributes
- self is illusory
- JOSEPH LeDOUX - implicit and explicit aspect. Implicit - not immediately available to
the consciousness. Explicit - consciously aware.
- CATHERINE RAEFF - culture influence how we view: relationships, traits,
achievement, and expressing emotions
SUB DISCIPLINE OF ANTHROPOLOGY
1. CULTURAL - ethnic, cultural diversity, arts and creativity.
GENETIC DETERMINISM - biologically inherited
CULTURAL DETERMINISM - raised determines who we are emotional and behavioral.
- positive impact humans can be shaped or formed
- negative impact no control over what they learn
2. ARCHAELOGICAL - scientific study of material remains of past human life and
activities
- realized the important aspect of human nature is “survival”
3. BIOLOGICAL -evolution of human
4. LINGUISTICS - scientific study of language
“ANTHROPOLOGY provides posibility to study every aspect of human.
Window to unknown. Provides answer to our question about self, past, present,
and future. Helps to connect everyone.”

 PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF

PSYCHOLOGY - APA defined psychology is the scientific study of mind and behavior
 Sigmund Freud- the importance of unconscious, “Father of Psychoanalysis”,
 three layers of self
1. ID - first part to develop
- desires and wants
- no awareness other than it wants what it wants
- pleasure principle
- doesn’t care about moral or societal norms
2. EGO - functions in reality
- what is right or wrong
- reality principle
3. SUPEREGO - “voice of God”
- strives for perfection
- act in accordance to what is morally and socially acceptable

 ERIK ERIKSON - theory of psychosocial development.

- human development occurs in stages, each stage is marked by a unique psycho-
social crisis must develop successfully to have a healthy sense of self and identity
1. Trust vs. Mistrust (Infancy):
a) develop a sense of security. needs are not met consistently = mistrust.
2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt (Early Childhood):
a) develop self-control = autonomy. attempts are met with criticism or Punishment =
shame & doubt
3. Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool Age):
a.) explore their surroundings = initiative. overly restricted = sense of guilt.
4. Industry vs. Inferiority (School Age):
a) accomplishment academic and social activities = competence. lack of recognition =
inferiority
5. Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescence):
a) focus on developing a sense of Identity. struggle to establish a clear identity = role
confusion
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adulthood):
a) connections = intimacy. Fear commitment = isolation
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood):
a) contribute to society and involvement = generativity. lack a sense of purpose =
stagnation.
8. Integrity vs. Despair (Late Adulthood):
a) sense of fulfillment and wisdom = integrity. regret and dissatisfaction = experience
despair.

 -JEAN PIAGET - the development of the self is closely intertwined with a child's
cognitive abilities and understanding of the world.
 Cognitive Development Stages
1. Sensorimotor Stage (0-2 years): sensory experiences and motor actions.
 2. Preoperational Stage (2-7 years): develop language and the ability to
represent objects and events symbolically.
3. Concrete Operational Stage (7-11 years): think logically about concrete
events and objects.
4. Formal Operational Stage (11 years and older): think abstractly and logically.

 WILLIAM JAMES- Concept of Self

- psychological theory, “Me” and “I”
- ME - material self, social self, spiritual self,
- ME - typically think of when considering our self-identity. awareness of our physical
appearance, personality traits, social roles, and the labels we attach to ourselves. (external
factors)
- I - inner observer or thinker that reflects on the Me-Self. introspection and self-
awareness. (actions and decisions)
 Varieties of Self
 Stream of Consciousness
 Pragmatic Approach

 CARL ROGERS' REAL SELF AND IDEAL SELF

- REAL SELF actual - authentic, and true perception of oneself.
- beliefs, values, feelings, and experiences
- IDEAL SELF - represents an individual's aspirations who they would like to be.
- idealized image of oneself = societal expectations, cultural, and personal desires.

 GORDON ALLPORT (prominent American psychologist.)

- uniqueness of the individual.
- Trait Theory of personality.
- TRAIT - is a characteristic that can be used to describe a person.
TYPES OF TRAITS
1. Cardinal Trait - traits which are so dominants
2. Central Trait - basic foundations of personality.
3. Secondary Trait - often seen in certain situations only

 DONALD WINNICOTT (British psychoanalyst)

- key concepts is the idea of the "True Self" versus the "False Self"
- True Self - authentic and genuine core. innate and spontaneous feelings, desires,
and impulses.
- False Self - mask or facade that people create to protect their True Self in response
to perceived threats.