Understanding the Self - Key Philosophers

Understanding the Self - Key Philosophers

• Immanuel Kant:

  • The self is transcendental, existing in a non-physical realm.
  • It's separate from the body and lacks bodily qualities.
  • The self is the source of knowledge for all humans.
  • Two components of the self:
    • Inner Self: Awareness of internal changes.
    • Outer Self: Includes senses and the physical world.

• Gilbert Ryle:

  • The self is defined by observable behaviors.
  • It's not a separate entity but a convenient label for actions.

• Maurice Merleau-Ponty:

  • Mind and body are inseparable.
  • The body is essential to the mind, and vice versa.
  • The body expresses the mind in a unified way.

The Self, Society, and Culture

• Society: A group of people sharing a culture, territory, and a sense of collective identity.

• Culture: Knowledge, beliefs, art, morals, laws, customs, and habits of a society.

• Characteristics of the Self:

  • Separate: Distinct from other selves.
  • Self-Contained: Independent existence with its own thoughts and volition.
  • Independent: Does not need another self to exist.
  • Consistent: Enduring personality.
  • Unitary: Central point of experiences and thoughts.
  • Private: Sorts information, feelings, emotions, and thoughts internally.

• Social Constructionists: View the self and social context as intertwined, with blurred boundaries.

• Social Constructivists: The self is a dynamic process, constantly changing through interactions. It's in flux with external realities and is adaptable in social contexts.

The Self as a Cognitive Construct

• William James:

  • The self has two aspects:
    • I: The acting, feeling, and thinking self.
    • Me: Physical characteristics and psychological capabilities.

• Carl Rogers:

  • I: Acting and deciding self.
  • Me: Self-perception as an object.
    • Ideal Self: Desired self.
    • Real Self: Actual self.
    • Congruence: Alignment between ideal and real self.
    • Incongruence: Misalignment between ideal and real self.

• Carver and Scheier:

  • Private Self: Internal standards, thoughts, and feelings.
  • Public Self: Public image presented to others.

Social Self

• George Herbert Mead:

  • Me: Socialised self incorporating learned behaviors and social control.
  • I: Spontaneous and unsocialised self, individual response to social attitudes.

• Marcel Mauss:

  • Moi: Personal sense of identity and basic self.
  • Personne: Social concepts of self, based on institutions, family, religion, and nationality.