THE SELF FROM
VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVES
WHAT PHILOSOPHY SAYS ABOUT THE SELF.
Introduction to the
Topic
This topic highlights how the classical
and modern philosophical models
defined the self, the evolution of
these philosophical frameworks from
ancient to contemporary times, and
the relevance of the philosophy of the
self to how the youth define their own
sense of self.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of this class session, the students are expected
to:
discuss the different philosophical standpoints
about the self;
explain how philosophical models have
transformed from classical to contemporary
times;
synthesize and evaluate the different
perspectives of self;
analyze the relevance of various philosophical
standpoints to your sense of self.
PHILOSOPHY OF THE SELF
PHILOSOPHY
is often called Ancient philosophers The SELF has been
the MOTHER OF attempted to explain defined as a
ALL natural and social "UNIFIED BEING,
DISCIPLINES phenomena, coming essentially
simply because up with their own connected to
all fields of study definitions of how the consciousness,
began as world works and what awareness and with
philosophical factors contribute to the faculty of
discourses, such phenomena. rational choice.
CLASSICAL ANTIQUITY
SOCRATES PLATO ARISTOTLE
3 GREAT "GOLDEN AGE" GREEK PHILOSOPHERS
The ancient philosophy of the self can be traced back from one of the 147 GREEK
APHORISMS prominently inscribed in the temple of Apollo at Delphi.
As a "GURU", Socrates preferred to engage his
students in endless discussions.
It is said that, he had never written down any of his
ideas but instead untiringly articulated concepts and
principles with his students.
believed that the REAL SELF is not the physical body,
but rather the PSYCHE (SOUL)
further posited that the appearance of the body is
inferior to its functions
He believed that it is the duty of the philosopher to
"KNOW ONESELF" (famous ADVICE).
Socrates He saw a person as DUALISTIC: every person is
composed of BODY and SOUL.
469 - 399 B.C
BODY - imperfect and impermanent aspect
SOUL - perfect and permanent
Socrates was also known for his DICTUM (short Socrates
statement that expresses a general truth or
principle). 469 - 399 B.C
"IGNORANCE IS THE BEGINNING OF WISDOM"
- It is accepting our ignorance that prods us to know
ourselves, our power and limitations.
- to know ourselves means to acquire TRUE
KNOWLEDGE of ourselves - PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE
- to improve ourselves by capitalizing on our powers to
fight our limitations
- knowing what kind of men and women we are
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C Socrates is also known for this famous quote:
"THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING."
- To live without knowing who you are and what virtues
you can attain is the worst that can happen to a person.
- An EXAMINING, a THINKING and an INVESTIGATING
self is what essentially the SELF is.
THE RATIONAL SOUL
For Plato, the SELF is an The THINKING, REASONING, and
"IMMORTAL SOUL IN A JUDGING aspect. It must be well-
MORTAL PERISHABLE developed and in-charge.
BODY."
THE APPETITIVE SOUL
This is responsible for the desires
He is Socrates' prized and cravings of a person. Desires
student, who thoroughly must be controlled and focused to
expounded on Socrates' those that give life like eating,
ideas of the self. drinking and sleeping.
further expounded on THE SPIRITED SOUL
This is accountable for emotions and
the idea of the soul by
also makes sure that the rules of
stating it has 3 parts or reason is followed in order to attain
plato
components. victory and / or honor. Emotions are
428 - 348 b.c. checked.
In his work, THE REPUBLIC, Plato emphasized that all 3
parts of the soul must work harmoniously to attain
JUSTICE and VIRTUE in a person.
- The SOUL is the "GIVER OF LIFE TO THE BODY"
BODY - CHANGING, TRANSITORY and PERISHABLE
SOUL - PERMANENT, CHANGELESS and DIVINE
ELEMENTS
- The BODY is the SHELL for the SOUL.
- The co-existence of the immaterial mind and the
material body.
- "Our life is a continuous ascent towards the world of
ideas." (Our life's journey is a continuous striving to free
our soul from its imprisonment in the body.)
Plato believed that the soul precedes birth and
succeeds death.
It is the soul or mind that attains knowledge, not the
plato senses.
He emphasized the social aspect of human nature.
428 - 348 b.c. Humans are not self-sufficient; they need other people
and benefit from social interactions.
Aristotle was one of the most renowned pupils of Plato. ARISTOTLE
Plato called him "THE INTELLIGENCE OF THE SCHOOL". 384 - 322 B.C.
The SELF is composed of BODY and SOUL, MIND and
MATTER, SENSE and INTELLECT, PASSION and REASON.
REASON is the emphasis of Aristotle. It is the SUPREME in
a human person and so should govern all of life's
activities. Reason is the development of a human
person's, physical, economic and social powers.
Human happiness comes from the harmonious
development of the whole self.
Perfection and happiness come from WISDOM and virtue
(True knowledge and doing what is best for you).
GOLDEN MEAN - is a theory taught by Aristotle which
means MODERATION (avoiding EXTREMES: too much or
too little).
"Living a life of MODERATION is doing things in
consonance with REASON.
Medieval
Philosophers
He was a North African Christian Theologian
and Philosopher who influenced the
development of western Christianity and
Philosophy.
combined Greek philosophy and truths
contained in the Scriptures.
The SELF is made up of BODY and SOUL,
"A SOUL IN POSSESSION OF A BODY" which
"does not constitute two persons but one man.
His concept of self is in the context of his
RELATION TO GOD.
- Every human person is created in the
image and likeness of God.
- Every human person is made for God.
ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO It is only upon his / her recognition of God's
354-430 A.D. love and his / her response to the invitation
to love that he / she finds inner peace.
Happiness is the END-ALL and the BE-ALL of human living
and this happiness can be found in God alone.
At his conversion, St. Augustine remarked: "You have made ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
our hearts for Thee, O God and so they will find rest only in 354-430 A.D.
Thee.
Like Aristotle, St. Augustine also taught virtue which is "the
ORDER OF LOVE".
To love God means it is necessarily to love one's fellowmen.
(Never to do any harm to another as you would not want
others do unto you - This is Aristotle's GOLDEN MEAN).
St. Augustine taught AGAINST HEDONISM: Man craves for
something perfect, immutable and enduring.
- Possession of the goods of this world such as HEALTH, BEAUTY,
POWER, HONOR, FAME can never give to a human person what he /
she is truly looking for, as these goods are finite, unstable and
ephemeral.
ST. THOMAS AQUINAS
Like Aristotle, Aquinas, proclaimed the supremacy of REASON
1225 - 1274 in a human person.
A human person can know the truth with certainty by the use
of his reason.
stressed that there are some truths which cannot be known by
human reason alone and which can be perceived only with the
aid of the light of DIVINE REVELATION.
TRUTHS known through REASON, TRUTHS known from Divine
Revelation: can never contradict each other because they
emanate from the same source, GOD, WHO IS TRUTH ITSELF.
Like Aristotle, Aquinas taught man's longing for happiness on
earth comes with the full development of man's powers.
A higher form of human perfection beyond this life because of
the immortality of the human soul can be found in GOD alone.
St. Thomas was like St. Augustine who taught about the
human soul that is restless and imperfect until it rests in God.
Modern Day
Philosophers
rene descartes
1596 - 1650
THE FATHER OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY
The SELF is an IMMATERIAL MIND and a
MATERIAL BODY = DUALISM.
He believed that the mind is the SEAT OF
CONSCIOUSNESS. (BODY - human senses,
unreliable and should not be trusted.)
One can have ideas prior to experience.
known for his "I THINK, THEREFORE I AM" -
The rationality and activity of the mind are
at the center of man's being.
In his ESSAY: CONCERNING HUMAN UNDERSTANDING, he explained that
at birth the (human) mind is a TABULA RASA which means "BLANK
SLATE" (the mind is empty at birth.) - - MEMORY is necessary condition
for personal identity.
Impressions during infancy have very important and lasting
consequences.
He argued that "ASSOCIATION OF IDEAS" that individuals make when
young are more important than those made later because they are the
foundation of the self.
While impressions during infancy serve as the foundation of the
development of the self, this does not mean that individuals can no
longer unmake the negative effect of not-so-good earlier experience.
He emphasized the "FREEDOM OF INDIVIDUALS TO AUTHOR THEIR OWN
SOUL".
- Individuals are free to define the content of their character except for
their basic identity as a member of the human species.
Like St. Augustine and St. Thomas, Locke believes that "God created
man and we are in effect, God's property". john locke
SURVIVAL - CHIEF END and set by our CREATOR. Every human person
has the right to LIFE, LIBERTY, HEALTH and PROSPERITY. 1631 - 1704
The SELF is a combination of
Scottish philosopher and an experiences of a person.
empiricist who believes that
all concepts as well as EXPERIENCES
knowledge come from the
SENSES and EXPERIENCES. 1. IMPRESSIONS - real or actual
experiences or sensations
He argued that there is no
self beyond what can be Rough stone
experienced.
2. IDEAS - copies of impressions
The SELF is a "BUNDLE OF or representations of the world
COLLECTION of different and sensations.
perceptions. DAVID HUME Sweet ice cream
1711-1776
One of the most influencial philosophers of Western
Philosophy.
contributed to the fields of metaphysics, ethics and
aethetics among others.
He believes that there must necessarily be
something in us that organizes these sensations to
create knowledge and ideas.
REASON, not mere experience, is the foundation of
knowledge.
For him, it is the self that organizes and synthesizes
immanuel kant our experiences into something meaningful to us. It
is something that transcends or is above our
1724 - 1804 consciousness.
gilbert ryle British philosopher mainly associated with the Ordinary
Language Philosophy Movement.
1900 - 1976 proposed that we should instead focus on the observable
behavior of a person in defining the "SELF".
DUALITY APPROACH:
1. There can be a private, unobservable aspect of a person.
2. A different public and observable trait.
Meaning: One can describe one's self as good but do
otherwise in real life.
He sees SELF as an entirety of thoughts, emotions and
actions of person that relates to observable behavior.
We get to know others by observing their behavior and
inferring about their "selves". We can apply the same
observation and reflection on ourselves.
Contemporary
Philosophers
The SELF is a manifestation of
subjectivity, wherein a subject can act
and cause effects, thus implying its
existence.
He believed that the physical body is a
part of self-identity. The perceptions of
the mind and the actions of the body are
interconnected.
Everything that we experience in this
world - joy, sadness, love, remorse -
happens with our bodies. maurice merleau-
The mind thinks in an embodied way. ponty
1908 - 1961
Paul Churchland adheres to
MATERIALISM (ELIMINATIVE) -
the belief that nothing except
matter exists.
He argued that the mind does
not exist because it cannot be
experienced by one's senses.
believed that it is the physical
brain that gives our sense of self paul churchland
not the imaginary mind. 1942 -
Guide Questions
1. How do philosophers describe
the nature of self?
2. Which philosopher would you
say aligns with your views the
most? Why?
Thank you for
listening!
Lesson and Slides
prepared by:
MANLAPAS, R.S.
SEPTEMBER 5, 2022
