Philosophy of Self and Identity Quiz
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Questions and Answers

According to Descartes, what is the self?

  • The way people behave
  • A constantly changing bundle of perceptions
  • The brain
  • An immortal soul that exists over time (correct)

    • David Hume believed the self is a unifying subject that makes experience intelligible.

    False

    Which philosopher famously said 'Know thyself'?

    Socrates

    According to Paul Churchland the self is the _________.

    <p>brain</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Who described the self as a multi-layered entity?

    <p>Sigmund Freud</p> Signup and view all the answers

    John Locke believed that personal identity is made possible by self-consciousness.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What will 'mental state' be superseded by?

    <p>brain states</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following philosophers with their view of the self

    <p>Immanuel Kant = The self is a unifying subject Gilbert Ryle = The self is the way people behave Maurice Merleau-Ponty = The self is embodied subjectivity David Hume = The only thing that exist is a bundle of constanly changing perceptions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to David Hume, what primarily governs human behavior?

    <p>Passion</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Immanuel Kant believed that all knowledge originates from sensory experiences.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What book is David Hume known for, other than his philosophical works?

    <p>History of England</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Hume argued against the existence of ______ ideas, stating all human knowledge is based on experience.

    <p>innate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Immanuel Kant, what is the highest form of mental faculty?

    <p>Reason</p> Signup and view all the answers

    David Hume viewed the mind as always active and continuous.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which country was Immanuel Kant born?

    <p>Prussia</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosopher with their main idea:

    <p>David Hume = Mind is like a machine that can be turned on and off Immanuel Kant = Reason is the highest form of mental faculty</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Immanuel Kant, what comprises the consciousness?

    <p>Both the inner and outer self</p> Signup and view all the answers

    St. Thomas Aquinas believed that the body is what differentiates a human from other animals.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Kant, what is the object of the inner self?

    <p>soul</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to St. Thomas Aquinas, the term 'hyle' refers to the common material that makes up everything in the universe which includes man's ______.

    <p>body</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosopher with their concept.

    <p>Immanuel Kant = Inner and outer self St. Thomas Aquinas = Matter and Form</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the 'morphe'?

    <p>The essence of a substance or thing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Immanuel Kant believed that unique human experiences do not contribute to the development of individuality.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What makes a human person a human person and not a dog?

    <p>soul</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What principle does the id operate on?

    <p>Pleasure principle</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ego is solely concerned with the immediate satisfaction of desires.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does the ego do when it experiences anxiety due to failure?

    <p>Employs unconscious defense mechanisms.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The id experiences __________ when its demands are denied.

    <p>unpleasure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one of the responsibilities of the ego?

    <p>Avoiding negative consequences of society</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following psychological parts to their descriptions:

    <p>Id = Operates on the pleasure principle and seeks immediate satisfaction Ego = Mediates between the id and reality, avoiding negative consequences Defense Mechanisms = Unconscious strategies to cope with anxiety Pleasure Principle = The idea that all impulses should be satisfied immediately</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ego has a clear concept of right and wrong.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does the ego achieve pleasure according to its operations?

    <p>By devising realistic strategies to satisfy id's demands.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does Gilbert Ryle suggest about the concept of the 'self'?

    <p>It is merely a convenient label for behaviors.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gilbert Ryle supports dualism in his understanding of the mind and body.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    According to Paul and Patricia Churchland, where does our behavior appear to have its basic cause?

    <p>Neural activity</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Gilbert Ryle's assertion that the mind is never separate from the body directly contradicts __________' dualism.

    <p>Descartes</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the philosophers with their key concepts:

    <p>Gilbert Ryle = Mind-body connection through behavior Paul and Patricia Churchland = Eliminative materialism René Descartes = Mind-body dualism B.F. Skinner = Behaviorism</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the main criticism Paul and Patricia Churchland have towards Philosophy and Psychology?

    <p>They fail to satisfactorily explain the self.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ryle believes that mental processes are fundamentally intelligent acts.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Ryle's famous quote, 'I act therefore I am', emphasizes that __________ are the basis of self-identity.

    <p>actions</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary function of the ego according to Freud?

    <p>To engage in reality testing</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The super-ego develops during the phallic stage of psychosexual development.

    <p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What are the two systems that the super-ego consists of?

    <p>conscience and ego-ideal</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The ego helps an individual demonstrate self-control via mastery of the _____ principle.

    <p>reality</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which statement best describes the function of the super-ego?

    <p>It persuades the ego to pursue moralistic goals.</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Match the following aspects of the super-ego with their descriptions:

    <p>Conscience = Causes feelings of guilt Ego-Ideal = Represents how one ought to behave Ideal Self = Rewards proper behavior with pride Moral Values = Incorporated from society and parents</p> Signup and view all the answers

    The super-ego only punishes through feelings of guilt and has no rewarding mechanism.

    <p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

    During which psychosexual stage does the super-ego primarily develop?

    <p>phallic stage</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Philosophers on the Nature of Self

    • Many philosophers have pondered the nature of self throughout history
    • Key figures include David Hume, Rene Descartes, Socrates, Plato, and Saint Augustine of Hippo

    Socrates (470-399 BC)

    • Born in Athens
    • A classical Greek philosopher
    • Pioneer of Western moral philosophy
    • Introduced the Socratic problem (or question)
    • Emphasized self-examination as crucial for a good life
    • Concluded an unexamined life is not worth living.
    • Goal is to discover the truth and gain a better understanding of ourselves and the world through dialogue
    • Focus on self-examination

    Plato (424-347 BC)

    • Born into an Athenian aristocratic family involved with the Thirty Tyrants
    • Founded the Academy, an institution that later served as a prototype of modern universities
    • Developed the concept of the dichotomy between the "Ideal World" (world of forms) and the "Material World"
    • The Ideal World is permanent and unchanging, where true knowledge lies
    • The Material World is constantly changing, a mere reflection of the Ideal World
    • Founder of western spirituality
    • The human mind (psyche) has three elements: appetites, the spirit, and the mind.
      • Appetites: physiological needs, desires (e.g. hunger, thirst)
      • Spirit: emotional drive(e.g. ambition, anger)
      • Mind: rational and logical control (e.g.) reason, justice )

    Saint Augustine of Hippo (354-430 AD)

    • Confessed sinner from North Africa, later became the Bishop of Canterbury
    • Deeply influenced by Plato
    • A Christian theologian and philosopher
    • Argued that sin is the source of human unhappiness and it impedes human free will.
    • Developed the concept of an individual's identity and the means to achieve a happy, fulfilled life
    • Examined the process of relating the mind and body
    • Importance of self reflection
    • Self-realization is achieved through struggles between the mind and body to find happiness in God's love
    • Emphasized introspection and self-analysis to understand the self

    Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

    • Father of modern philosophy
    • Brilliant mathematician (known for Cartesian Geometry)
    • Famous for the philosophical statement "I think, therefore I am" (Cogito ergo sum)
    • This statement is the foundation of his theory that consciousness of the mind leads to knowledge of one's existence
    • He noted the relationship between the mind and body
    • Active acquisition of knowledge through intellect, perception, imagination, and memory
    • Described the mind as an intellectual substance with will

    John Locke (1632-1704)

    • English philosopher and political theorist
    • Prominent figure during the Age of Reason
    • Developed the "Theory of Mind" which broke new ground in understanding personal identity
    • The mind is a "blank slate" (tabula rasa) at birth, acquiring knowledge through experience.
    • Concepts of self and Identity are found in consciousness.
    • Proposed that life is a quest to understand what happens after death and immortality

    David Hume (1711-1776)

    • Born in Edinburgh, Scotland
    • Was a Lawyer as well as philosopher
    • Known for insightful on human psychology
    • Famous for the influential viewpoint that passion more-so than reason governs human behavior
    • Argued against innate ideas, believing all knowledge comes from experience
    • Notions about self as a bundle of perceptions in constant flux
    • Self and consciousness are like a machine, constantly turning or switching on and off (e.g.) conscious or unconscious states.

    Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

    • Born in Prussia
    • A significant contributor to Western Philosophy
    • Proposed that the mind generates experience and creates a unique perception of the world; human experience is alike
    • Human experiences are similar across individuals in terms of abstraction, because we share important characteristics of interest
    • Experiences form our persona according to logical effects
    • The self comprises inner (intellect, thoughts, emotions) and outer selves (perception)
    • Soul is the inner self and the Body is the outer self

    St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274)

    • A medieval philosopher and theologian
    • Argued that matter and form are the two components of human existence.
    • Stated that experience of existence doesn't mean we know what that being is
    • The most important part of the individual is the soul or essence, since the body is shared with animals

    Gilbert Ryle (1900-1976)

    • A philosopher of mind
    • Challenged the mind-body dichotomy
    • Argued against the notion of a separate, nonphysical or spiritual self
    • Proposed that the self is entirely physical and described by behavior rather than an internal, intangible essence
    • Behavior, actions, and manners are dispositions of the self, and the essence of one's self

    Paul and Patricia Churchland

    • Philosophers who applied neuroscience to the concept of self
    • Proposed eliminative materialism, arguing that mental concepts are not real and that the brain, and therefore behavior, are the primary origins of the self
    • Argued that brain injury disrupts the self because the self is wholly based on the physical workings of the brain

    Maurice Merleau-Ponty (1908-1961)

    • A French phenomenologist
    • Developed a concept of the self as fully embedded in the world, viewing it as a phenomenon of the world.
    • The mind and body are intertwined, inseparable and cannot be separated from each other
    • Argued that perceptions come from experiences and that these perceptions are influenced by the body and the world
    • All emotions, thoughts, and behaviors of a human person are inseparable and all belong to one, the self

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    The Self: Philosophical Perspective PDF

    Description

    Test your understanding of different philosophical perspectives on the self and personal identity with this quiz. Explore views from notable philosophers such as Descartes, Hume, Locke, and Kant, and see how their ideas shape our understanding of human consciousness. Ideal for students of philosophy looking to deepen their knowledge.

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