Philosophy of the Self: Greek and Christian Views

Ancient Greek Philosophers and Their Perspectives on the Self

• Socrates: Believed that an unexamined life is not worth living and emphasized the importance of self-reflection. He also claimed to know nothing, fostering humility and a willingness to learn.
• Plato: Proposed the idea of the immortal soul being the true essence of the self. He established The Academy, a precursor to modern universities. Plato believed in a dualistic nature of man: body and soul, with the soul being divided into three parts:
• Rational Soul: The reasoning part
• Spirited Soul: The part associated with emotions and will
• Appetitive Soul: The part focused on desires and instincts

Christian Perspectives on the Self

• Saint Augustine: Believed that the self is an immortal soul in relation to God, emphasizing the idea of a soul's inherent connection to the divine. He believed in a bifurcated nature of man, aiming to attain communion with God.
• Thomas Aquinas: Considered the soul as the essence of the self, separating it from the material body. Aquinas argued that the body is simply the physical aspect shared with animals, while the soul is the defining characteristic of human beings.

Modern Perspectives on the Self

• René Descartes: Famous for the phrase, "I think, therefore I am," Descartes proposed a mind-body dualism, stating that self-consciousness is the defining characteristic of the self. He distinguished between two aspects:

• Cognito: Mind

• Extenza: Body

• David Hume: Believed that there is no self. He argued that the individual experiences a stream of perceptions, but there is no underlying "self" that experiences them.

• Immanuel Kant: Challenged Hume, arguing that the Self is actively constructed by the mind through its interaction with sensory data (impressions). Kant believed that the mind imposes structure and meaning on sensory experiences, creating our understanding of the world.

• Gilbert Ryle: Argued against the mind-body dualism, suggesting that the concept of "self" is simply the way people behave. Ryle believed that people are simply a collection of behaviors and actions.

• Merleau-Ponty: Emphasized embodied subjectivity, rejecting the separation of mind and body. He believed that the self is experienced through the body's interactions with the world, emphasizing the unity of body and mind.

Summary of Key Philosophers and their Ideas on the Self

• Socrates: Self-reflection and examining life
• Plato: Immortal soul, three parts of the soul, dualism of body and soul
• Saint Augustine: The soul in relation to God
• Thomas Aquinas: Soul as the essence of the self, body shared with animals.
• René Descartes: "I think, therefore, I am", mind-body dualism, self-consciousness
• David Hume: No self, stream of perceptions, no underlying self
• Immanuel Kant: The mind constructs the self, structure imposed on sensory experiences
• Gilbert Ryle: Self is behavior
• Merleau-Ponty : Embodied subjectivity, body and mind are one