Podcast
Questions and Answers
Match the following Greek thinkers with their area of concern:
Match the following Greek thinkers with their area of concern:
Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Empedocles = Explaining the primary substratum Socrates = Problem of the self Plato = Dual nature of the body and soul Augustine and Thomas Aquinas = Nature of man in relation to divinity
Match the following with their view on the human person:
Match the following with their view on the human person:
Socrates = Belief in a dualistic nature of body and soul Plato = Three components of the soul – rational, spirited, and appetitive Augustine and Thomas Aquinas = Bifurcated nature of man and yearning for the divine Pre-Socratics = Concern about the unity of the world amidst its diversity
Match the following with their philosophical focus:
Match the following with their philosophical focus:
Socrates = Systematic questioning about the self Plato = Supporting Socrates' idea about man's dual nature Augustine and Thomas Aquinas = Infusing Plato's view with Christian doctrine Pre-Socratics = Explaining what the world is really made up of
Match the philosopher with their conception of the Self:
Match the philosopher with their conception of the Self:
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Match the philosopher with their representation of the Self:
Match the philosopher with their representation of the Self:
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Match the philosopher with their historical period:
Match the philosopher with their historical period:
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Match the philosophical school with their view on the Self:
Match the philosophical school with their view on the Self:
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Study Notes
Greek Thinkers and Their Areas of Concern
- Socrates is known for ethics and moral philosophy, emphasizing the importance of virtue and self-knowledge.
- Plato focused on metaphysics and epistemology, exploring the nature of reality and the theory of forms.
- Aristotle dealt with natural philosophy, ethics, and politics, emphasizing empirical observation and classification.
Views on the Human Person
- Socrates posited that self-awareness and virtue are central to human existence.
- Plato suggested that the soul is immortal and exists in a realm of forms before incarnating in the body.
- Aristotle viewed humans as rational animals whose purpose is to achieve eudaimonia (flourishing) through virtuous living.
Philosophical Focus
- Sophists advocated for relativism and skepticism regarding truth and morality, emphasizing practical success and persuasion.
- Stoics valued inner peace and virtue, teaching that true happiness comes from living according to nature and reason.
- Epicureans sought pleasure as the highest good, focusing on simple pleasures and minimizing pain.
Conception of the Self
- Socrates formulated the self as a rational entity, focusing on questioning and seeking knowledge.
- Descartes introduced the notion of the self as a thinking being, famously stating "Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therefore I am).
- Kant viewed the self in terms of moral agency and autonomy, arguing for the necessity of reason in ethical decisions.
Representation of the Self
- Plato represented the self through the concept of the tripartite soul, consisting of reason, spirit, and appetite.
- Nietzsche critiqued traditional views of the self, proposing the idea of the Übermensch who creates their values.
- Sartre emphasized existentialism, advocating that existence precedes essence and that individuals define themselves.
Historical Period
- Pre-Socratic philosophers, like Thales and Anaximander, laid the groundwork for later metaphysical inquiry.
- Classical philosophy stemmed from the time of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle in ancient Greece.
- Hellenistic philosophy emerged after Alexander the Great, leading to schools like Stoicism and Epicureanism.
Philosophical School and View on the Self
- Platonism champions the immortality of the soul and the pursuit of ideal forms.
- Existentialism emphasizes individual freedom, choice, and responsibility in shaping one’s identity.
- Stoicism advocates for self-control and rationality, viewing the self as part of a larger cosmic order.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the various philosophical perspectives of the self with this learning module. Identify different philosophers' conceptions of the self, understand the importance of self-understanding, and compare and contrast representations of the self in different philosophical schools.
