Philosophical Perspectives on the Self (UTS PDF)

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES Philosophers were perhaps the first to attempt to explain what makes the 'self'. While philosophers have different opinions and theories about the topic, most of them agree (at least, to some extent) with the age-old proposition of THE MIND-BODY DUALITY....

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES Philosophers were perhaps the first to attempt to explain what makes the 'self'. While philosophers have different opinions and theories about the topic, most of them agree (at least, to some extent) with the age-old proposition of THE MIND-BODY DUALITY. THE MIND THE BODY Is a metaphysical object, consisting Is a physical object, consisting of of spiritual essence physical material Exists in the metaphysical world Exists and interacts with the A perfect soul contained in the body physical world There is a truth within our thoughts An imperfect body that constitute the self, and we must Senses the world around it, but seek to discover it these senses are deceptive and must not be thought of as truth PLATO - TRUE SELF is made of reason or intellect which made up the SOUL of the individual The three-part self (i.e., soul): Reason - the rational part of the self; part of the self that knows reality; makes decisions Appetite - irrational and instinctive part of the self; our basic physical needs such as hunger, thirst, and sex Spirit - our emotions such as anger, love, empathy RENE DESCARTES - Father of Modern Philosophy; formally proposed the mind-body dualism Like his predecessors, he believed that the true self is within the soul, and we must discover it through scientific inquiry and scientific method "Dubito ergo cogito, cogito ergo sum." - I think, therefore I am To have beliefs about the self, one must doubt their beliefs until they are capable of achieving beliefs that are their own (not one provided to them by authorities) IMMANUEL KANT - The self is the thread which binds our experiences of 'self' together in a 'unity of consciousness' Reason is what allows us to decide what is the moral thing to do Reason should take the driver seat because if not then inclination and emotion will over rule us 1. Transcendental self - the organizing principle of self; the a priori knowledge 2. Empirical self - the conscious self or ego; posteriori knowledge DAVID HUME - The self is a bundle of perception with no permanence, unchanging essence Reason is and should be the slave of passion Our impressions of the self a fleeting and variable (e.g., no two experiences of grief are the same). Therefore, it is logical to assume that there is no such as thing as the idea of an unchanging self. When we die, we cease to exist. As such, there is no soul containing the self that will continue to linger on Earth. Thus, there is no self. PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES SIGMUND FREUD - The self has conscious and unconscious parts. As the Father of Psychoanalysis, Freud espoused that the self is part conscious (i.e., aware) and unconscious (i.e., unaware). The conscious part of the self includes mental processes which we are aware of. The unconscious part of the self are those parts which are not easily accessible to our awareness. These conscious and unconscious parts of the self are unified in the 'ego'. The three-part SELF: Ego - reality principle; is directly in contact with reality and strives to balance out the demands of the Id and the Superego Id - pleasure principle; the unconscious part of the mind; strives to get maximum pleasure by pursuing instinctual needs (e.g., hunger, thirst, sex) Superego - moralistic principle; both conscious and unconscious; the superego impinges upon the ego with its moralistic demands and should's WILLIAM JAMES - The self is a cognitive construction He viewed the self in terms of 'I' and 'Me'. I-Self (the knower) - is the subjective self which does everything in the here and know. It is the conscious part of the self and gives you the sense of who you are Me Self (the known) - is the objective self and the repository of all experiences: past, present, and future. The Me-Self is the expressed self and is composed of material, social, and spiritual aspects. KAREN HORNEY - Real Self vs Ideal Self The problem occurs when one's ideal self turns into an idealistic and unrealistic MUST SELF (i.e., I must be a good student; I must provide for my family). Real Self - possible self which we could have become Ideal Self - idealistic image which could take over our real self ALBERT BANDURA - Social Cognitive Theory The self as PROACTIVE and AGENTIC Proactive Self - individuals actively influence their own behaviors and outcomes, setting goals and taking initiative rather than merely reacting to their environment. Agentic Self - individuals actively take steps to turn their plans into reality SOCIOLOGICAL/ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES Sociological/Anthropological views of the self emphasize that the self must not be viewed in isolation, but must be seen as part of a larger society, culture, and societal values. SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE The self is a product of how the people interact with society at large. Only when one has participated in different social positions and learn from those experiences can we be self- conscious. ANTHROPOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE The self is differently conceptualized across cultures (e.g., Western/Eastern Orientations). How we view the self begins and ends with the group we are in. GEORGE HERBERT MEAD - The self is a sociological construction Mead, a sociologist, viewed the self to be constructed through the process of socialization, where we learn to be self-conscious (i.e., aware of how people see us and the roles that we play). Mead conceptualized the I-Me self in terms of social interaction; wherein the 'Me' is how others see the self, and the 'I' is the personal (i.e., subjective) assessment of the social self. To Mead, there must be a balance between the I and the Me. W. JAMES' ME-SELF G.H. MEAD'S ME-SELF The self is a product of cognition The self is a product of social (i.e., the mind) interaction and role-taking The Me-Self is an object of The Me-Self is the sum of all awareness, of the total experiences perceived perceptions others have of the 'I', having material, social, of the self (i.e., the generalized and spiritual components other) THE CONCEPT OF SELF VARIES WITH CULTURE Markus & Kitayama (1991) pointed out that the primary method in which cultural values influence psychological processes is in terms of how individuals define and see their 'selves' in relation to others in their social network. That is, our concept of self is relative to how we construe ourselves within our group. WESTERN VIEWS EASTERN VIEWS For Western/ Individualist Societies, For Eastern/ Collectivist Societies, the concept of the self is seen as a the self is seen as an emerging separate whole among other concept from a combined set of wholes in society. multiple identities. CONFUCIUS - The Eastern/Oriental View of Self Confucius, one of the most prominent philosophers in the East, laid out the Chinese philosophy which defined the self in terms of cardinal relationships (e.g., ruler-minister, father-son, etc.) nurtured by reciprocity, interdependence, and interrelatedness. This philosophy eventually spread throughout the Eastern parts, influencing societies and cultures within it. Confucian philosophy focuses on relational identity as defined by significant relationships. That is, not all relationships impinge upon our self-view, but only those which we consider significant. Most often, this self-view is influenced by societal values and expectation. SALIENT FEATURES OF INDIVIDUALIST AND COLLECTIVIST CULTURES INDIVIDUALIST CULTURES COLLECTIVIST CULTURES Fosters independence and individual Fosters interdependence and group achievement success Promotes self-expression, individual Promotes adherence to norms, respect thinking, and personal choice for authority/elders, and group Associated with egalitarian consensus relationships and flexibility in roles Associated with stable, hierarchical Associated with private property and roles individual ownership Associated with shared property and group ownership SUMMATIVE STATEMENTS By now, we have a general (but hardly comprehensive) view of the self. Knowing these perspectives, it is not surprising why some people think that the self is complicated: it's because it is! Our personality and identity is thrown into a background of multiple shades and colors which cannot be fully appreciated if we only look at it through the scope of one field of study. And perhaps, the reason why the self is still much of a mystery up to now is because it is just that complicated. However, it is safe to say this about the self: it is a complex and multifaceted aspect of human beings defined by ourselves, others, and the environment, which is needed to be a fully functioning human.