Philosophy Development Concepts Quiz

Chapter 1: The Self From Various Philosophical Perspectives

• Learning outcomes include discussing different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinary perspectives.
• Examining the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self.
• Comparing and contrasting how the self has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives.
• Demonstrating critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one's self and identity by developing a theory of the self.

Lesson 1: Philosophy

• Philosophy is considered the "mother of all sciences."
• It's a study of acquiring knowledge through rational thinking and inquiry.
• It aims to answer questions regarding the nature and existence of man and the world.

Pre-Socratic Philosophers

• Thales believed the universe was made of water.
• Pythagoras proposed Earth was composed of four elements (earth, water, fire, and air).
• Parmenides argued the universe is in a constant balance; things can exist or not-this is constant.
• Heraclitus suggested the world is governed by law-like elements, symbolized by fire.
• Democritus theorized the universe was composed of tiny indivisible objects.

Philosophers: Socrates

• Socrates famously said, "The unexamined life is not worth living."
• He used the Socratic method, asking questions to uncover knowledge.
• Socrates believed the worst for someone is to live but die inside.
• A person's acceptance of ignorance is the beginning of knowledge and knowledge is a virtue.
• The self is composed of a physical and ideal realm.
• Self is immortal and unified throughout time.
• Man is composed of body and soul.

Philosophers: Plato

• Plato considered a person who follows truth and wisdom as correct, moral, and ethical.
• Plato proposed three components of the soul: appetitive, spirited, and rational.
• He argued that a just and virtuous person is one in which the ideal state is achieved.

Philosophers: St. Augustine

• He believed man is bifurcated, with one part in the world (imperfect body) and another yearning for the Divine (immortal soul).

Philosophers: Rene Descartes

• Descartes is known for "Cogito ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am").
• He believed that questioning is part of existence (body and mind).
• A person has a mind (cogito) and body (extenza).
• The self is a thinking thing.

Philosophers: John Locke

• Locke's theory of Tabula Rasa suggests experiences and perceptions sculpt the person's development.
• Locke viewed the self as consciousness.

Philosophers: David Hume

• Hume argued that there is no self; self is a bundle of impressions.
• Impressions are basic objects of sensations while ideas are copies of impressions.
• Self is a fictional concept to unify mental events.

Philosophers: Immanuel Kant

• Kant believed the mind organizes impressions, actively synthesizing knowledge.
• He posited transcendental apperception as the essential element of consciousness, providing a basis for understanding self.

Philosophers: Thomas Aquinas

• Aquinas proposed that man is composed of matter and form.
• Matter is common stuff while form is the essence of a substance or thing.

Philosophers: Sigmund Freud

• Freud, the father of psychoanalysis, believed current personality is a product of past experiences (pleasure vs. pain).
• He introduced the id (pleasure-driven), ego (mediator), and superego (moral compass) as components of personality.

Levels of Consciousness

• Consciousness is the surface level of memories, easily accessed.
• Pre-consciousness contains memories readily accessible.
• Unconsciousness is where deeply stored childhood memories reside.

Philosophers: Gilbert Ryle

• Ryle argued self is the behavior presented by a person, not a discernible entity.
• The self shows itself through actions, emotions, etc.

Philosophers: Paul Churchland

• Churchland links self to brain activity.
• Self-identification improves with brain interactions.

Philosophers: Maurice Merleau-Ponty

• Merleau-Ponty posited that the mind and body are intertwined.
• The self is emergent from the person's interactions with the world.

General Information on the Self

• The self as a unified concept linked to consciousness, awareness, and agency (sometimes using rational choice).
• The relationship between the self and the external world.

Lesson 2: Sociology

• Sociology is the study of society and social relations, institutions, and structure.
• It involves studying the relationship between the "socius / companion" and "logos / logic" or study.

Sociology and the Self

• Recent studies show men and women actively shape their self-growth and development.
• George Herbert Mead's Symbolic Interactionism Perspective posits that the perceived experiences and definitions of situations shape how people react.
• Social interactions create the evolving self.

George Herbert Mead's Stages of Self-Development

• Preparatory Stage: The child imitates others.
• Play Stage: The child assumes various roles and perspectives.
• Game Stage: The child understands multiple social relationships and obeys rules.

Generalized Others

• Generalized others are the societal norms, laws, beliefs and values.
• Self-evaluation is aided by recognizing generalized others.

Other Sociologists' Insights

• Mead's concept of the "I" and "Me" where "I" is how one sees oneself, and "Me" is how others perceive oneself.
• Albert Bandura's Social Cognitive theory posits identity is a learned response to social stimuli.
• Rewards and encouragement shape attitudes and behaviour.
• Self-efficacy is people's beliefs in their ability.
• Karl Marx's alienation theory examines how forced work leads to estrangement.

Test your understanding of key concepts related to child development and philosophical theories. This quiz explores topics from imitation in child development to the philosophical views of self by figures such as Socrates and Plato. Dive deep into the interplay between psychology and philosophy.