GEC-101 Understanding the Self

Study Notes

Ancient thinkers explored human self-perception and sought to understand unique human qualities, including the capacity to accumulate and build upon knowledge.
Philosophy derives from the Greek terms "philo" (love) and "sophia" (wisdom), focusing on the nature of existence and human experience.

Greek philosopher influential in shaping Western thought through the Socratic Method, which involves questioning to explore ideas.
Advocated for self-examination and self-knowledge with the belief that an unexamined life lacks value.
Differentiated between two forms of existence: visible (the body) and invisible (the soul).
Argued that the soul is the ruler of the body, and true happiness and virtue are intertwined, leading to the belief that a virtuous person is a happy person.

A student of Socrates, Plato emphasized his Theory of Forms, positing that true reality exists beyond the physical world.
Viewed the soul as the most divine aspect of humanity, connected to knowledge of the Forms.
Identified three parts of the soul:
- The appetitive (sensual desires),
- The rational (reasoning),
- The spirited (feelings of passion).

Integrated Plato's ideas into Christian theology, describing the self as an immaterial, rational soul.
Postulated that the self has self-knowledge and self-awareness, belonging to a divine order.
Suggested that the body senses the world while the soul maintains eternal significance.

Emphasized doubt as a core method of philosophical inquiry (methodological skepticism).
Coined the phrase "I think, therefore I am," asserting consciousness as proof of existence.
Argued that the self exists independently of the body, though closely connected, identifying the immaterial soul as essential to personal identity.

Expanded the definition of the self to include consciousness and memory, linking identity with a continuity of experiences.
Proposed that accountability for actions is tied to remembered experiences, with emphasis on personal responsibility over forgetfulness.

Key figure in British Empiricism, introduced the bundle theory, suggesting the self is a collection of perceptions in constant flux.
Distinguished between impressions (direct, strong perceptions) and ideas (weaker mental replicas).
Denied the existence of a permanent self, claiming that consciousness does not persist during periods of non-awareness, implying the self is transient.

Pioneered psychoanalysis, investigating the human psyche through the conscious and unconscious mind.
Identified three levels of consciousness:
- Conscious (awareness of current thoughts and feelings),
- Pre-conscious (easily retrievable data),
- Unconscious (not readily accessible thoughts).
Outlined the structure of personality with the id (pleasure principle), ego (reality principle), and superego (moral compass), examining their influences on behavior and mental health.