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What does the concept of being a moral person entail?
According to the content, what motivates the development of the ego in Freud's theory?
What aspect of human experience does reason allow individuals to discover, according to the content?
Which of the following best describes the conflict between the id and the superego?
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What is emphasized about the individual in the context of being a free agent?
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What was Augustine of Hippo's main realization regarding pleasure and truth?
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Which philosophical idea did Augustine draw from the Neo-Platonists?
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What does Descartes' statement 'I think, therefore I am' primarily emphasize?
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How did Descartes view the relationship between the mind and the body?
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What philosophical role did reason play in Augustine's thought regarding morality?
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What was one of Augustine's struggles in his early faith journey?
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Which statement best describes Descartes’ philosophy regarding existence?
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What was Augustine's view on the nature of the real world versus the temporary world?
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What principle is John Locke most credited for?
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According to John Locke's memory theory, what determines a person's identity over time?
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Which of the following statements best describes David Hume's view of the self?
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In Hume's philosophy, what are 'impressions' defined as?
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What does Hume claim about the existence of a consistent self over time?
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How did Immanuel Kant view the relationship between senses and knowledge?
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Which philosopher is known for the quote, 'What worries you, masters you.'?
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What did Hume believe about 'complex ideas'?
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What does Carl Rogers define as the self-concept?
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What is the term used when there is alignment between one's real self and ideal self?
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Which of the following factors does NOT influence self-concept according to Carl Rogers?
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What can result from experiencing a high level of incongruence?
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Which of the following best describes the ideal self?
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What is a characteristic of incongruence?
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What does self-esteem primarily refer to?
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What is one suggested method for aligning the ideal self with the real self?
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How are self-esteem and self-efficacy related?
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What are the four main goals of psychology?
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What is one recommended approach to boost both self-esteem and self-efficacy?
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What does the content suggest about dealing with feelings of helplessness?
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How should individuals view their successes and failures according to the content?
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Study Notes
Augustine of Hippo
- Augustine, a self-proclaimed sinner from North Africa, later became Bishop of Canterbury.
- He was greatly inspired by Plato's philosophy.
- He initially abandoned Christianity in his youth, finding it difficult to reconcile a benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God with the existence of evil in the world.
- His encounter with Neo-Platonism and the concept of the world of Forms provided him with a philosophical foundation for the idea of God, leading to his return to Christianity.
- He differentiated between the real world and the temporary world, suggesting that reason allows us to discern right from wrong.
- He believed that our understanding of the distinction between right and wrong comes from God Himself.
Discovering The Self: Modern Philosophy
- Descartes, Locke, Hume, Kant, Freud, Ryle, Churchland, and Ponty are prominent figures in modern philosophy.
- Their views on the nature of the self are diverse and influential.
Rene Descartes
- Considered the "Father of Modern Philosophy," he was known for his brilliance in mathematics.
- Descartes' famous statement, "I think, therefore I am," or "Cogito ergo sum," emphasizes the consciousness of the mind as evidence of existence.
- He believed in the mind's existence even when doubting the physical world and his own body.
- He concluded that we are primarily thinking beings, as the act of thinking cannot be doubted.
- This echoes Plato's dualism, suggesting a separation and distinction between the mind and body.
- He believed that the mind and body are intertwined, with a causal relationship between them.
- "I am my body and my mind, but these two are still distinct from each other."
- He suggested that when the body perishes, the mind could potentially continue existing and function.
John Locke
- Known as the "Father of Classical Liberalism" due to his contribution to the development of human rights.
- He advocated for the people, rather than the monarch, as the rightful sovereign.
- He was influenced by Descartes, sharing a belief in dualism.
- Locke argued that our identity is not solely tied to the mind, soul, or body.
- His "Memory Theory" proposes that we are the same person as we were in the past if we have overlapping memories.
- According to this theory, memories make us aware of our existence and connect us to our past.
- He believed that we can verify someone's identity by testing their memory.
David Hume
- Born in Scotland, Hume was a lawyer known for his historical work, "History of England."
- He viewed the senses as the primary source of knowledge.
- He acknowledged the existence of the mind and divided its contents into two categories:
- Impressions: Things perceived through the senses during an experience.
- Ideas: Things created in the mind that are not currently being experienced.
- Complex ideas are formed by combining simple ideas through arrangement and rearrangement, as he argued in his "Treatise on Human Nature."
- He challenged the notion of a permanent self, stating that the self is constantly changing due to shifting experiences.
- Ultimately, Hume asserted that there is no enduring, unchanging self.
Immanuel Kant
- From Konigsberg, East Prussia, Kant was inspired to engage in philosophical activism after encountering Hume's skepticism.
- He sought to refute Hume's skepticism by asserting that we can discover universal truths about the world using reason.
- He believed that the essence of the self can be understood through this reasoning process.
- He argued that humans are free agents capable of making self-determined choices.
- He believed that humans are endowed with reason and free will, leading to the possibility of moral action.
- He defined a "Moral Person" as one who is driven by duty and acts towards fulfilling that duty.
- Kant emphasized that individuals should be treated with respect as ends in themselves, never purely as means to an end.
- He challenged Hume's claim of a non-existent self by arguing that reason allows humans to organize sensory data.
- This organization of data, according to Kant, provides a clearer understanding of the human self.
Sigmund Freud
- Freud was born in Freiberg, Moravia and was a Jewish Neurologist.
- He is known as the "Father of Psychoanalysis," focusing his work on the mind and its development.
- He proposed three divisions of the mind:
- Id: Represents our primal urges and desires.
- Superego: Represents our moral compass and provides ethical standards.
- Ego: Represents the self, mediating between the id and superego.
- Freud believed that the id and superego are in constant conflict, with the ego attempting to balance their competing demands.
- He asserted that the outcome of this internal struggle manifests in the ego's behavior.
- Freud examined the influences, factors, and forces that shape the psychological self.
Psychology
- Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior, as defined by the American Psychological Association.
- The goal of psychology is to describe, explain, predict, and change behavior and mental processes.
- Self or self-concept is defined as an organized, consistent set of perceptions and beliefs about oneself, according to Carl Rogers.
- Factors influencing self-concept include:
- Past experiences
- Personality traits
- Abilities
- Physical features
- Values
- Goals
- Social roles
- Own observations
- Feedback from others.
- Self-concept can be dynamic and fluid, evolving as we grow, encounter new experiences, and interact with others.
Real and Ideal Selves
- Carl Rogers proposed two selves:
- Ideal Self: The person we aspire to become, guiding and motivating us to strive for our best potential.
- Real Self: Our actual self, shaped by our experiences and perceptions.
- The ideal self plays a role in motivating the real self to improve and develop.
- Visual imagining exercises can be helpful in understanding and clarifying our ideal self.
The Alignment of Real and Ideal Selves
- Congruence: When our real self and ideal self are aligned, we experience a sense of satisfaction, confidence, and self-actualization leading to high self-esteem.
- Incongruence: When there is a disconnect between our real self and ideal self, we may feel disappointed, frustrated, and experience a sense of low self-esteem and self-worth.
- Experiencing some level of incongruence is normal, especially in new or challenging situations.
- It's important to reflect on our behavior and remind ourselves of our ideal self to bridge the gap and regain balance.
Self Esteem & Self Efficacy
- Self Esteem: Our perception of our own worthiness and value as a person.
- Self Efficacy: Our confidence in our own abilities and capabilities.
- Self-esteem is connected to different aspects of our self-concept and is not consistently tied to single successes or failures.
- Self efficacy directly influences self-esteem, with improvements in performance leading to increased self-worth and a sense of congruence.
Increasing Self-Esteem and Self-Efficacy
- Unconditional Positive Regard: Learning to provide ourselves and others with acceptance and support regardless of their actions or accomplishments.
- Believing in Our Capabilities: Recognizing that everyone possesses the potential to help themselves and achieve their ideal selves.
- Avoiding Comparisons: Focusing on our own personal growth and goals rather than comparing ourselves to others, especially on social media.
- Challenging Negative Thoughts: Confronting feelings of helplessness and working to break the cycle of negative self-talk.
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Description
Test your knowledge on Augustine of Hippo and the key aspects of modern philosophy regarding the nature of the self. Explore concepts from notable philosophers such as Descartes, Locke, and Hume. This quiz will challenge your understanding of these foundational philosophical ideas.
