Philosophy of the Self and Pre-Socratic Thinkers

The Self

• Spirit: The innate emotions of humans, such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, and empathy.
• Reason: Responsible for organizing, controlling, and harmonizing the spirit and body.
• Body: The physical aspect of a human being.
• Philosophers & Their Views on the Self:
  • Pythagoras: Coined the term "philosophy," combining the Greek words "philo" (love) and "sophia" (wisdom).
  • Socrates: Emphasized self-knowledge, believing "The unexamined life is not worth living."
  • St. Augustine: Acknowledged the unity of body and soul, stating that "The body is united with the soul, so that man may be entire and complete."
  • René Descartes: Known as the father of modern philosophy, his famous phrase "Cogito, ergo sum" ("I think, therefore I am") established the concept of self-awareness through thinking.

Pre-Socratic Philosophers

• Pre-Socratics: Early Greek philosophers who focused on the origin and nature of the physical world, known as cosmologists or naturalists.

Two Realms of Human Nature (St. Augustine)

• God: The source of reality and truth.
• Human Sinfulness: The inherent imperfection of humankind.

David Hume

• Empiricism: Hume was influenced by this philosophical school of thought, which emphasizes the role of experience in gaining knowledge.
• No Self: Hume argued that there is no inherent self, but rather a collection of perceptions.
• Two Distinct Entities from Experience: Hume proposed two distinct entities: consciousness and experiences.

Parts of Personality (Sigmund Freud)

• Id: The primal part of the personality, driven by unconscious desires for pleasure (pleasure principle). Present at birth, it is typically selfish and demands immediate gratification.
• Ego: Emerges around the age of two, focusing on the reality principle. It mediates between the id's demands and the superego's restrictions, employing defense mechanisms to manage conflict.
• Superego: Develops around the age of five, representing internalized morals learned from same-sex parents. It embodies the morality principle, guiding behavior through a sense of right and wrong, contributing to personal and social identity.

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

• Phenomenologist: A philosopher focusing on the nature of experience.
• Mind/Body Problem: Merleau-Ponty challenged the traditional separation of mind and body, arguing that their division is a product of flawed thinking.
• Self-Subject: He developed this concept to emphasize the interconnectedness of the self and the world through perception.

Paul and Patricia Churchland

• Neuroscience: Their work emphasizes the role of the brain in understanding the self.

The Self from a Psychological Perspective

• Psychology: The scientific study of human behavior and mental processes, with four main goals: describe, explain, predict, and modify.
• Concerns of Psychology: Areas of study within psychology include individual development, consciousness, memory, reasoning, personality formation, individual-environment interactions, mental health, and the interplay of nature (heredity) and nurture (environment).

William James's Concept of the Self

• Physical Self: James saw the body as the initial source of sensation and a foundation for personality.
• Two Parts of the Self:
  • I Self: The subjective self, aware of its own actions and identity, providing a personal perspective.
  • Me Self: The objective self, allowing oneself to be described and perceived by others.
• Three Components of Me Self:
  • Material Self: Encompasses physical attributes and material possessions contributing to self-image.
  • Social Self: How individuals perceive themselves in relation to others.
  • Spiritual Self: Embraces personal values, beliefs, and aspirations.

The Physical Self

• Physical Self: The entire body, including its basic parts and organs.
• Physical Efficiency: The body's capacity to function, progressing throughout different life stages: infancy, adulthood, middle age, and old age.
• Rate of Physical Development: Stages of physical development include childhood, babyhood, and adolescence (a particularly crucial period).

Sigmun Freud's Psychosexual Stages of Development

• Psychosexual Stages: Freud's theory posits five stages of development, each characterized by a specific erogenous zone:
  • Oral Stage (0-1 year): Mouth is the main source of pleasure.
  • Anal Stage (1-3 years): Focus on bowel control.
  • Phallic Stage (3-6 years): Genitals become the erogenous zone. This stage features the Oedipus complex (boys attracted to their mothers) and the Electra complex (girls attracted to their fathers).
  • Latency Stage (6-14 years): Sexual desires are largely dormant, as children focus on social activities.
  • Genital Stage (14+ years): Sexual maturation and interest in the opposite gender.

Religious Perspectives on Human Sexuality

• Judaism: Marital sex is seen as a blessing from God, bringing pleasure to both partners. It is also viewed as an opportunity for spirituality and transcendence.
• Islam: Family is central, and celibacy within marriage is prohibited. Men can have up to four wives, while women can only have one husband. Sex is confined to marriage, and premarital sex is penalized.
• Catholicism: Marriage is primarily for procreation. The Church generally opposes birth control, but natural family planning is acceptable. Homosexual orientation is not considered a sin, but homosexual acts are.

Chemistry of Love, Lust, and Attachment

• Three Phases of Romantic Love: The experience of romantic love can be categorized into three phases: lust, attraction, and attachment. Each phase is driven by different hormones and neurochemicals.

The Role of the Body in Psychology

• Wilhelm Reich: Believed that mind and body are inseparable, integrating physical and psychological processes.
• Erik Erikson: Highlighted the importance of bodily organs in early development and the influence of physical and intellectual skills on social roles.
• Carl Jung: Argued that both the physical body and the external world can be subject to psychological experiences.
• B.F. Skinner: Emphasized the primary importance of the body in shaping behavior.

Intersex

• Intersex: Refers to individuals with differences in sex development, encompassing variations in hormones, chromosomes, and internal/external reproductive structures.
• Infants: A small percentage of infants are born with intersex traits. Variations can include a lack of vaginal opening, labia that do not open, a penis without a urethral opening, a smaller penis than expected, or a larger clitoris than expected.
• Adolescents: Intersex traits can manifest in unusual development, absences of development (such as menstruation), and secondary sex characteristics that do not align with typical gender expectations.
• Adults: Intersex traits may be discovered during attempts at conception or through medical procedures. Variations include a lack of a uterus, undescended testes, and other variations in reproductive organs.

Explore the concepts of the self as discussed by various philosophers, including Pythagoras, Socrates, St. Augustine, and René Descartes. This quiz delves into the innate emotions, reason, and the unity of body and soul, as well as the ideas of early Greek philosophers. Test your knowledge on the intersection of philosophy and self-awareness.