Understanding The Self PDF

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF  BRIEF INTRODUCTION THE COURSE DEALS WITH THE NATURE OF IDENTITY, AS WELL AS THE FACTORS AND FORCES THAT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF REAL IDENTITY. THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO FACILITATE THE EXPLORATION OF THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS RE...

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF  BRIEF INTRODUCTION THE COURSE DEALS WITH THE NATURE OF IDENTITY, AS WELL AS THE FACTORS AND FORCES THAT AFFECT THE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE OF REAL IDENTITY. THIS COURSE IS INTENDED TO FACILITATE THE EXPLORATION OF THE ISSUES AND CONCERNS REGARDING THE SELF AND IDENTITY TO ARRIVE AT A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF ONE’S SELF.  BRIEF INTRODUCTION THE COURSE IS DIVIDED INTO 3 MAJOR PARTS: 1. THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES 2. UNPACKING THE SELF 3. MANAGING AND CARING FOR THE SELF  JOHARI WINDOW DEVELOPED BY JOSEPH LUFT AND HURRINGTON INGHAM WHO ARE BOTH AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGISTS. THIS MODEL ALLOWS PARTICIPANTS TO UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES WELL AND THEIR CORRESPONDING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE SIGNIFICANT OTHERS THROUGH THE FOUR QUADRANTS DETERMINING TRAITS RELATIVE TO ONE’S SELF AND OTHER’S JUDGEMENT. JOHARI WINDOW  JOHARI WINDOW ARENA REPRESENTS THE ACTIONS, BEHAVIORS AND INFORMATION THAT ARE KNOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND THOSE AROUND THEM.  JOHARI WINDOW BLIND SPOT ACTIONS AND BEHAVIORS IN THE BLIND AREA ARE KNOWN TO OTHERS, BUT THE INDIVIDUAL IS NOT AWARE OF THEM.  JOHARI WINDOW FACADE THIS INFORMATION IS KNOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL, BUT NOT KNOWN TO ANYONE ELSE.  JOHARI WINDOW UNKNOWN THIS INCLUDES INFORMATION, SKILLS, BEHAVIORS, ETC. THAT ARE UNKNOWN TO THE INDIVIDUAL AND TO OTHERS.  THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES  THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PERSPECTIVES PHILOSOPHY SOCIOLOGY ANTHROPOLOGY PSYCHOLOGY THE SELF IN WESTERN AND ORIENTAL / EASTERN THOUGHT PHILOSOPHY III The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives Philosophy is the study of the basic ideas about knowledge, truth, right and wrong, religion, and the nature and meaning of life The Self from Various Perspective: III The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives Socrates Plato Agustine Rene Descartes Immanuel Kant SOCRATES  SOCRATES WAS BORN IN 469 BC AND SPENT ALL HIS LIFE IN ATHENS, GREECE SOCRATIC METHOD IS HIS GREATEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE ACADEMIC WORLD FAMOUSLY SAID, “TRUE KNOWLEDGE EXISTS IN KNOWING THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING”.  SOCRATES ACCORDING TO SOCRATES, SELF-KNOWLEDGE WOULD OPEN YOUR EYES TO YOUR TRUE NATURE. ONE’S TRUE SELF IS NOT TO BE IDENTIFIED WITH: - WHAT WE OWN - OUR SOCIAL STATUS - EVEN WITH OUR BODY “OUR TRUE SELF IS OUR SOUL”  TO SOCRATES, “IF ONE DEVOTED THEMSELVES TO SELF-KNOWLEDGE AND PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY, THEY WOULD SOON BE LED TO A MORE APPROPRIATE VIEW OF THE GOOD”. THERE IS ONE SUPREME GOOD, AND POSSESSION OF THIS GOOD ALONE WILL SECURE OUR HAPPINESS. VIRTUE  VIRTUE IS DEFINED AS “MORAL EXCELLENCE” A VIRTOUS PERSON IS THE ONE WHOSE CHARACTER IS MADE UP OF THE MORAL QUALITIES ACCEPTED AS VIRTUES: - COURAGE - PRUDENCE - JUSTICE - TEMPERANCE KNOWLEDGE + VIRTUE = HAPPINESS Socrates The first one who became more concerned about the problem of the self. His life long mission is to know one self. Socrates also believed that the goal of life is to be happy. How does one become happy? The Self from Various Perspective:  “EVIL IS THE RESULT OF IGNORANCE.” “IT IS BETTER TO SUFFER AN INJUSTICE THAN TO COMMIT AN INJUSTICE” “THE UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING.” Socrates The virtuous man is a happy man, and that virtue alone is the one and only supreme good that will secure his/her happiness. The Self from Various Perspective: PLATO STUDENT OF SOCRATES AND TEACHER OF ARISTOTLE WROTE ON WIDE VARIETY OF TOPICS INCLUDING POLITICS, AESTHETICS, COSMOLOGY, AND EPISTEMOLOGY STUDIED PHILOSOPHY, POETRY AND GYMNASTICS BEST KNOWN FOR HIS PHYSICAL WORLD. THEORY OF FORMS THAT ASSERTED THAT THE PHYSICAL WORLD IS NOT REALLY THE REAL WORLD BECAUSE THE ULTIMATE REALITY EXISTS BEYOND THE PHYSICAL WORLD. WROTE THE “SOCRATIC DIALOGUE” WHERE SOCRATES WAS THE MAIN CHARACTER AND SPEAKER  3 PARTS OF THE SOUL ACCORDING TO PLATO THE APPETITIVE (SENSUAL) – THE ELEMENT THAT ENJOYS SENSUAL EXPERIENCES SUCH AS FOOD, DRINK AND SEX THE SPIRITED (EMOTION) – THE ELEMENT THAT IS INCLINED TOWARD REASON BUT UNDERSTANDS THE DEMANDS OF PASSION; THE PART THAT LOVES HONOR AND VICTORY. THE RATIONAL (REASONING) – THE ELEMENT THAT FORBIDS THE PERSON TO ENJOY THE SENSUAL EXPERIENCES; THE PART THAT LOVES TRUTH, HENCE SHOULD RULE OVER THE OTHER PARTS OF THE SOUL THROUGH THE USE OF REASON SAINT AUGUSTINE  SAINT AUGUSTINE CHRISTIAN THEOLOGIAN AND PHILOSOPHER HE ADOPTED PLATO’S VIEW THAT THE SELF IS AN IMMATERIAL (BUT RATIONAL) SOUL. HE POINTED SIN AS THE SOURCE OF HUMAN UNHAPPINESS AS SIN IMPAIRS HUMAN FREE WILL.  SAINT AUGUSTINE HE AGREED THAT A MAN IS OF A BIFURCATED NATURE. HE BELIEVED THAT THE HUMAN BEING WAS BOTH A SOUL AND BODY. HE BELIEVED THAT WE WERE BORN SINFUL DUE TO THE FALL OF HUMANITY. RENE DESCARTES  RENE DESCARTES CONSIDERED THE FATHER OF MODERN WESTERN PHILOSOPHY. THE SELF THEN FOR RENE IS ALSO A COMBINATION OF TWO DISTINCT ENTITIES: 1. THE COGITO - THE THING THAT THINKS, WHICH IS THE MIND 2. THE EXTENZA - WHICH IS THE BODY  DESCARTES’ CLAIMS ABOUT THE SELF HE PROPOSED THAT DOUBT WAS A PRINCIPAL TOOL OF DISCIPLINED INQUIRY. HE IS OFTEN REGARDED AS THE FIRST THINKER TO EMPHASIZE THE USE OF REASON TO DESCRIBE, PREDICT, AND UNDERSTAND NATURAL PHENOMENA BASED ON OBSERVATIONAL AND EMPIRICAL EVIDENCE. “COGITO, ERGO SUM” / “I THINK, THEREFORE I AM” DAVID HUME  DAVID HUME AN EMPIRICIST WHO BELIEVES THAT ONE CAN KNOW ONLY WHAT COMES FROM THE SENSES AND EXPERIENCES. EMPIRICISM IS THE SCHOOL OF THOUGHT THAT ESPOUSES THE IDEA THAT KNOWLEDGE CAN ONLY BE POSSIBLE IF IT IS SENSED AND EXPERIENCED. TO HIM, SELF IS NOTHING ELSE BUT A BUNDLE OF IMPRESSIONS.  HUME DIVIDED THE MIND’S PERCEPTIONS INTO TWO GROUPS: 1. IMPRESSIONS – PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE MOST STRONG. THEY ENTER THE SENSE WITH MOST FORCE. THESE ARE DIRECTLY EXPERIENCED AND ARE (INTUITIVELY) FELT. 2. IDEAS – THESE ARE THE LESS FORCIBLE AND LESS LIVELY COUNTER PARTS OF IMPRESSIONS. THESE ARE MECHANISMS THAT COPY AND REPRODUCE SENSE DATA FORMULATED BASED UPON THE PREVIOUSLY PERCEIVED IMPRESSIONS. THOSE PERCEPTIONS THAT ARE (INTUITIVELY) THOUGHT. IMMANUEL KANT  IMMANUEL KANT KANT’S VIEW OF THE SELF IS TRANSCENDENTAL, WHICH MEANS THE “SELF” IS RELATED TO A SPIRITUAL OR NON-PHYSICAL REALM. FOR HIM, THE SELF IS NOT IN THE BODY. THE SELF IS OUTSIDE THE BODY AND IT DOES NOT HAVE THE QUALITIES OF THE BODY. HE PROPOSED THAT IT IS KNOWLEDGE THAT BRIDGES THE SELF AND THE MATERIAL THINGS TOGETHER.  PRIORI AND A POSTERIORI DISTINCTION A PRIORI - IS SOMETHING THAT CAN BE KNOWN WITHOUT EXPERIENCE OR SENSE DATA. EX: FIVE IS A PRIME NUMBER. BROTHERS ARE MALE SIBLINGS. A POSTERIORI - CAN ONLY BE KNOWN WITH SENSE OF EXPERIENCE. EX: MY DOGS LIKE CHICKEN. IT OFTEN RAINS IN THE PHILIPPINES.  2 COMPONENTS OF THE SELF 1. INNER SELF – THE SELF YOU ARE AWARE OF ALTERATIONS IN YOUR OWN STATE. THIS INCLUDES RATIONAL INTELLECT AND PSYCHOLOGICAL STATES, SUCH AS MOODS, FEELINGS, AND SENSATIONS, PLEASURE AND PAIN. 2. OUTER SELF – IT INCLUDES SENSES AND THE PHYSICAL WORLD. IT IS THE COMMON BOUNDARY BETWEEN THE EXTERNAL WORLD AND THE INNER SELF. IT GATHERS INFORMATION FROM THE EXTERNAL WORLD THROUGH THE SENSES WHICH THE INNER SELF INTERPRETS ST. THOMAS AQUINAS  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS THE MOST EMINENT THIRTEENTH CENTURY SCHOLAR AND STALWART OF MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY. ADAPTED SOME IDEAS FROM ARISTOTLE. SAID THAT MAN IS COMPOSED OF TWO PARTS: 1. MATTER - HYLE IN GREEK, COMMON STUFF THAT MAKES UP EVERYTHING IN THE UNIVERSE. 2. FORM - MORPHINE IN GREEK, ESSENCE OF A SUBSTANCE OR THING. JOHN LOCKE  JOHN LOCKE ENGLISH PHILOSOPHER AND PHYSICIAN. HE DEVELOPED THE CONCEPT OF “TABULA RASA” – AT BIRTH, THE MIND IS A BLANK SLATE WITHOUT INNATE IDEAS AND IT IS THE EXPERIENCE THAT PROVIDES US KNOWLEDGE PROVIDED BY SENSORY EXPERIENCES AND REFLECTIONS. SIGMUND FREUD  SIGMUND FREUD HIS MOST IMPORTANT CONTRIBUTION ESPECIALLY IN THE FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY, WAS PSYCHOANALYSIS, A CLINICAL PRACTICE DEVISED TO TREAT MENTAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL DISORDERS THROUGH DIALOGUE.  FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 1. UNCONSCIOUS (ID) – REFERS TO DATA RETAINED BUT NOT EASILY AVAILABLE TO THE INDIVIDUAL’S CONSCIOUS AWARENESS OR SCRUTINY. – PLEASURE PRINCIPLE.  FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 2. PRE-CONSCIOUS (SUPER EGO) – RELATED TO DATA THAT CAN READILY BE BROUGHT TO CONSCIOUSNESS. – MORAL PRINCIPLE  FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS 3. CONSCIOUS (EGO) – DEALS WITH AWARENESS OF PRESENT PERCEPTIONS, FEELINGS, THOUGHTS, MEMORIES AND FANTASIES AT ANY PARTICULAR MOMENT. – REALITY PRINCIPLE FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS FREUD’S 3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS PAUL CHURCHLAND  PAUL CHURCHLAND “NOTHING BUT MATTER EXISTS” WHICH ALSO KNOWN AS MATERIALISM. IN OTHER WORDS, IF SOMETHING CAN BE SEEN, FELT, HEARD, TOUCHED, OR TASTED, THEN IT EXISTS. THERE IS NOTHING BEYOND THE SENSORY EXPERIENCE. THUS, IN CHURCHLAND’S VIEW, THE IMMATERIAL, UNCHANGING SOUL/SELF DOES NOT EXIST BECAUSE IT CANNOT BE EXPERIENCED BY THE SENSES. MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY  MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY FRENCH PHILOSOPHER ARGUED THAT PERCEPTION IS THE DETERMINANT OF ONE’S CONSCIOUSNESS. IT IS OUR PREJUDICE THAT CREATE A PERCEPTION THAT WE HAVE IN OUR MIND.  MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY CLAIMED THAT “CONSCIOUSNESS IS PRIMARILY NOT A MATTER OF “I THINK THAT”, BUT OF “I CAN”. THIS ARGUMENT SHOWS HOW ACTION IS REQUIRED IN THE FORMATION OF SELF –PERCEPTION AS WELL AS SELF CONCEPT.