Understanding The Self PDF

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Learning Outcomes Introduction At the end of this lesson, the Philosophy is...

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Learning Outcomes Introduction At the end of this lesson, the Philosophy is the study of everything, both student should be able to: living and non-living, in its deepest understanding 1. Discuss the different representations through the aid of human reason alone. In this chapter, and conceptualizations of the self you will deal with philosophers of different eras; from various disciplinal perspectives; stating their knowledge on the concept of self. 2. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different Of course, Greek Philosophers such as disciplines and perspectives; Socrates and Plato will be part of the discussion. In 3. Examine the different influences, addition, versions of self from modern times scholars factors, and forces that shape the self; like St. Augustine, Rene Descartes, John Locke, David Hume, and Immanuel Kant will also be tackled. 4. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one's self and identity At the end of the chapter, we might see on what by developing a theory of the self. and where point of view we can associate our own version of self.  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives An unexamined life in not worth living Self is synonymous to soul – this is what Socrates have stated. “The soul strive for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve this exalted state” (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018, p. 6). However, the soul will continue to wander and be confused if still tied to the body where imperfection is possible. With the above-mentioned, Socrates suggested that human must live an examined life and a life of purpose and value. Becoming virtuous and knowing the value of oneself would mean that a person can have a meaningful and a happy life. This could be done through soul-searching; starting the process Socrates with the source of all knowledge and significance – the self. The self is an immortal soul (Psyche) Preserved Socrates’ teaching for future generation but contributed original ideas on wide range of issues, Plato elaborates his concept of the soul (the Greek word is psyche) in his later dialogues such as the monumental Republic and Phaedrus. He introduces the idea of a three-part soul / self-constituted by: (1) Reason - our divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make wise choices and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths; (2) Physical Appetite - our basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst, and sexual desire; (3) Spirit or passion - our basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness and empathy. These three elements of our selves are in dynamic relationship with one another, sometimes working in concert, sometimes in bitter conflict. When conflict occurs, Plato believes it is the responsibility of the reason to sort things Plato out and exert control, reestablishing a harmonious among the three elements of our selves. “Plato believed that genuine happiness can only be achieved by people who consistently make sure that their Reason is in control of their Spirit and Appetites” (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018, p. 7). Self-knowledge is a consequence of knowledge of God African religious philosopher, Augustine, is regarded as a saint (i.e., St. Augustine of Hippo) in the Catholic Church. He combined what he believed from Plato and his teachings of Christianity. St. Augustine, from the start, believed that body and soul were different from each other. As his thinking matured, he developed a more unified perspective on the body and soul. Emphasis on the soul as an important element of man, St. Augustine believes that the soul is what governs and defines man. He is convinced that the self is known only through knowing God. “When Christian, Muslim, Buddhist or Hindu believers struggle between the pleasures of the body and the demands of the soul in pursuit of the ultimate happiness St. Augustine of the soul, one must be able to recognize the love of the Supreme Being or the Divine and morally or ethically respond to that love (Villafuerte, Quillope, Tunac & Borja, 2018, p. 8)  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives Cogito ergo sum – “I think therefore I am” French philosopher Rene Descartes is the father of modern philosophy. The Latin phrase Cogito ergo sum–“I think therefore I am” is the keystone of Descartes’ concept of self. For him, the act of thinking about self—of being self-conscious—is in itself proof that there is a self. For Descartes, this is the essence of the human self—a thinking entity that doubts, understands, analyzes, questions, and reasons. Rene Descartes The self is consciousness For English philosopher John Locke, the human mind at birth is tabula rasa or a blank slate. He feels that the self, or a personality identity, is constructed primarily from sense experiences—or more specifically, what people see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. These experience shape and mold the self throughout a person’s life. For Locke, conscious awareness and memory of previous experiences are the keys to understanding the self. It is in consciousness where people could have sense of self. ”Self-consciousness is necessary to have a coherent personal (self) identity or knowledge of the self as a person. Consciousness is what makes identity of a personal similar in different situations” (Go-Monilla & Ramirez, 2018, p. 10). John Locke There is no self; only impressions and ideas For Scottish philosopher David Hume suggests that if people carefully examine their sense experience through the process of introspection, they will discover that there is no self. Hume stated that if people examine the contents of their experience, they will find distinct entities: impressions and ideas. Former are the basic sensations of people’s experience such as hate, love, joy, grief, pain, cold, and heat; hence are vivid perceptions and strong and lively. While the latter or the ideas, are thoughts and images from impressions so they are less lively and vivid. “While Hume agreed that all ideas are derived from impressions, problematically, it follows that the idea of the self is also derived from David Hume impressions. However, impressions are subjective, temporary, provisional, prejudicial and even skewed – and therefore cannot be persisting” (Villafuerte et al., 2018, p. 10).  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives The self is always transcendental For German philosopher Immanuel Kant, in his Transcendental Unity of Apperception, being or the self is not in the body, it is outside the body or even outside the qualities of the body – meaning transcendent. For Kant, ideas are perceived by the self, and they are connecting the self and the world (Villafuerte, 2018). Kant believes that the self is an organizing principle that makes a unified and intelligible experience possible. The self constructs its own reality, actively creating a world that is familiar, predictable, and most significantly, mine. Immanuel Kant The self transcends experience because the mind can grasp aspects of reality which are not limited to the senses. Through rationality, people are able to understand certain abstract ideas that have no corresponding physical object or sensory experience (Go-Manilla & Ramirez, 2018). Questions for Discussions 1. Who am I on the inside? 2. Which philosophy relates to your own belief? 3. Look deep inside “Who do you see?” References Go-Monilla, M. J. and Ramirez , N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines Villafuerte, S. et. al. (2018). Understanding the Self. Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd. Quezon City, Philippines  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Learning Outcomes Introduction At the end of this lesson, the Sociology is the scientific study of human student should be able to: interaction. According to its practitioner, it is the most 1. Discuss the different representations holistic and encompassing among all other social and conceptualizations of the self sciences because like philosophy, sociology tackles from various disciplinal perspectives; deep analysis on almost every aspect of human 2. Compare and contrast how the self behavior. has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives; Groups are people that we regularly and 3. Examine the different influences, consciously interact with. Sociology believes that the factors, and forces that shape the self; self is a product of the groups that we have and that influence us. 4. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one's self and identity In this chapter, theories from Cooley, Mead by developing a theory of the self. and other contemporaries will be discussed in order to have another understanding of the self.  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives SELF AND THE SOCIETY Sociological perspective of the self is holding on the idea that one’s behavior is affected by the group of people he or she interacts with. Through interactions with other people, groups, or social institutions, one self can be identified. Below are the types of groups that we have in our life:  Primary group – characterized by intimate face-to-face association and cooperation; “morally good” according to C.H. Cooley.  Secondary group – larger, relatively temporary, more anonymous, formal and impersonal groups.  Involuntary associations – groups in which people are assigned membership rather than choosing to join.  Voluntary association – groups that people choose to join.  In-groups – groups toward which one feels loyalty; also fosters ethnocentrism.  Out-groups – groups toward which one feels antagonism.  Reference group – the groups we use as standards to evaluate ourselves; also the group to which you aspire.  Clique – a cluster of people within a larger group who choose to interact with one another; an internal faction.  Social network – the social ties radiating outward from the self that link people together.  Electronic communities – individuals who more or less regularly interact with one another on the internet.  Formal organizations – a secondary group designed to achieve explicit objectives. The Looking Glass Self Charles Horton Cooley developed the concept of the looking glass self to show how others influence the image we have of ourselves. The people whom we interact with become the (Social) mirror in which we can view our self. The Three Components of the looking Glass Self: 1. The individual’s perception (imagination) of how his behavior appears to others. - Conceiving an idea of how a person presents himself or herself to others. 2. The individual’s perception (imagination) of how others judge his behavior. - How he or she analyzes how others perceive him or her. 3. The individual’s feelings (self-feeling such as pride or humiliation) about the judgment of others. (However, our perceptions of people’s judgments may differ from their actual judgment.)  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives Mead and the Social Self George Herbert Mead’s Theory of Social Self explained that the self has two divisions: the “I” and the “me”. The “I” is the subjective element and the active side of the self. It represents the spontaneous and unique traits of the individual. The “me”, on the other hand, is the objective element of the self that represents the internalized attitudes and demands of other people and the individual’s awareness of those demands. The full development of the self is attained when the “I” and the “me” are united. Mead details the development of the self in a three-stage process: 1. Preparatory stage (0-3 years old) - children imitate the people around them, especially family members with whom they have daily interaction. But they copy behavior without understanding underlying intentions, and so at this stage, they have no sense of self. During this stage, children are just preparing for role-taking. 2. Play stage (3 to 5 years old) - children start to view themselves in relation to others as they learn to communicate through language and other symbols. At this stage, role-taking is exhibit; however, children do not perceive role-taking as something expected of them. The self emerges as children pretend to take the roles of specific people or significant others, those individuals who are important agents of socialization. At this stage, the self is developing. 3. In the Game stage (begins in the early school years; about 8 to 9 years old) children understand not only their social position but also those of others around them. At this stage, children become concerned about and take into account in their behavior the generalized others which refer to the attitudes, viewpoints, demands, and expectations of the society which include cultural norms and values that serve as references in evaluating oneself. This time, they can have a more sophisticated look of people and an ability to respond to numerous members of the social environment. During this stage, the self is now present. Self in the Modern Society Gerry Lanuza’s article, “The Constitution of the Self” discusses the relationship between society and individual. According to him, in modern societies the attainment and stability of self- identity. It is no longer restricted by customs and traditions. While this newfound freedom offers infinite possibilities for self-cultivation, problems such as alienation and dehumanization of the self also appear which hinder the full development of human potentials. French sociologist Jean Baudrillard exposes the negative consequences of postmodernity to individuals in the society. For him, consumption structures the postmodern society. The postmodern individuals achieve self-identity through prestige symbols that they consume. Individuals seek for a position in society through the quality of prestige symbols that they can afford to consume. The cultural practices of advertising and mass media greatly influence individuals to consume goods not for their primary value and utility but for the feeling of goodness  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives and power when compared with others. Hence, the postmodern person has become an insatiable consumer and may never be satisfied in his or her life. Questions for Discussions 1. What are the three things you have discovered about your social self? 2. How are you going to apply your insights in understanding yourself? 3. How social pressure shaped you? References Go-Monilla, M. J. and Ramirez , N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines Villafuerte, S. et. al. (2018). Understanding the Self. Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd. Quezon City, Philippines  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives PSYCHOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Learning Outcomes Introduction At the end of this lesson, the Understanding the self through life span is student should be able to: inevitable according to Psychology. Self is not just being developed and then stop in a particular period of 1. Discuss the different representations and life. Self differs in every stage of life. conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinal perspectives; In this chapter, theories like the I-Self and Me- Self, Psychoanalysis, and Psychosocial Stages of 2. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented across Development will determine certain ideas and different disciplines and concepts for a thorough understanding of the self. perspectives; 3. Examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self; 4. Demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one's self and identity by developing a theory of the self.  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives William James: The self as a cognitive construct Williams James suggests that the self is divided into two categories: the I-Self and the Me-Self. The I-Self refers to the self that knows who he or she is which is also called the thinking self. The I- Self reflects the soul of a person or the mind which is also called the pure ego. The Me-Self, on the other hand, is empirical self which refers to the person’s personal experiences and is further divided into sub-categories: the material self, social self, and spiritual self. The material self is attributed to an individual’s physical attributed and material possessions that contribute to one’s self-image. The social self refers to who a person is and how he or she acts in social situations. James believes that people have different social selves depending on the context of a social situation. For example, s student may act differently in school and at home with his or her family. The spiritual self refers to the most intimate and important part of the self that includes the person’s purpose, core values, conscience, and moral behavior. James believes that the path to understanding the spiritual self requires introspection. Sigmund Freud: The Psychoanalytic Theory of self According to Sigmund Freud, the dynamic forces within the self are many and in evitable conflict. He argues that the mind is composed of three structures through which personality is formed: the id, ego and superego. The id refers to the component of the personality characterized by its need to satisfy basic urges and desires. Freud believe that the id is the pleasure-seeking side, impulsive, child-like, and demands instant gratification. The ego refers to the I and operates on the reality principle and controls the id. The ego can conform with existing societal consideration. The superego refers to the “conscience” and “moral judge” of ones’s conduct. Violation of rules leads to feelings of guilt. It strives for perfection rather than pleasure. It appears that the id is the devil within the self, the superego is the angel, and ego is the person in the middle. The id, ego, and superego are often in conflict with each other. Freud uses the term “ego strength” to refer to the ego’s ability to resolve the conflict between the three structures. If this constant state of conflict is unresolved, personality problems may arise.  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives Erik Erikson: The Psychosocial Stages of Self-development Erikson’s theory proposes that individual go through eight psychological stages of development. While Erikson believe that each stage is important, each stage consists of developmental tasks that one needs to accomplish to develop successfully. During each stage, an individual also experiences life crises which could have negative consequences if not properly resolved. Trust versus mistrust is the first psychosocial stage of development, occurring in the first year of life. According to Erikson, the child will develop trust if he or she is properly cared for. If the child is not well-cared for, mistrust is likely to develop. Autonomy versus shame and doubt is the second stage of development, occurring the first three years of life. Autonomy means independence of thought and confidence to think and act for oneself. Children begin to assert their independence during this stage. Erikson states that if parents allow their children to explore, they will become more confident and secure in their own abilities. If children are overly protected, they may become overly dependent on their parents and feel a sense of shame and doubt in their own abilities. Erikson believes that this stage has important implications in the development of independence and identity during adolescence. Initiative versus guilt is Erikson’s third stage of development, occurring around 3 to 5 years of age. During this period, developing a sense of responsibility among children lead to the development of initiative. A child who is made to feel irresponsible might develop feelings of guilt. Industry versus inferiority is the fourth stage of development, occurring around elementary school years. During this stage, children face the task of developing knowledge and skills usually taught in schools. When children are encouraged in their efforts, they will develop a sense of industry. However, children who receive little or no encouragement from parents and teachers will doubt their own abilities and are likely to develop inferiority. The fifth psychosocial stage, identity formation versus identity confusion, takes place during adolescence. At this stage, adolescents face the task of finding out who they are, what they are, and what they want in life. They are confronted with many roles and responsibilities. If parents provide proper support, adolescents will develop positive identity. If they are not adequately supported, they will feel insecure and identify confusion will likely develop.  UNDERSTANDING THE SELF Unit 1 – The Self from Various Perspectives Intimacy versus isolation occurs during early childhood when people explore personal relationships. During this sixth stage of development, Erikson believes it is vital that people develop intimate relationship with others. Those who are successful in this stage will likely form relationships that are stable and successful. Inability to develop intimate relationships during this stage will lead to mistrust and isolation. Generativity versus stagnation is the seventh stage of development which occurs during middle adulthood. Generativity involves a person’s desire to contribute to the world by teaching, leading, and guiding the next generation and doing activities that will benefit the community. Developing a sense of generativity is important during this stage. Those who fail to attain generativity will feel worthless. Integrity versus despair is the final psychosocial stage which occurs during old age and is confused on self-reflection in one’s life. At this stage, individuals reflect on the important events of their lives. If they are satisfied and proud of their accomplishments, they will feel a sense of integrity. Those who are unsuccessful in this stage will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience regrets and despair. Questions for Discussions 1. Among the sub-categories of the Me-Self, what is more influential with yourself today? 2. How would you not hurt your ego? 3. In what psychosocial stage you are in right now? From the two terms, what is that more related to you this time? Why? References Go-Monilla, M. J. and Ramirez , N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing, Inc. Manila, Philippines Villafuerte, S. et. al. (2018). Understanding the Self. Nieme Publishing House Co. Ltd. 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