Introduction to the Understanding of the Self PDF

Introduction to the Understanding of the Self by : Ms. Therese  chapter overview In this chapter, the student will understand the construct of the self from various disciplinal perspectives. The students will also reflect on a concrete experience on...

Introduction to the Understanding of the Self by : Ms. Therese  chapter overview In this chapter, the student will understand the construct of the self from various disciplinal perspectives. The students will also reflect on a concrete experience on a holistic point of view.  Questions to Ponder : Who Am I? Am I concern about myself? How do I describe myself? How do I consider myself? Have you ever thought of not caring for yourself? Do you believe that it’s better to love some other people than to love your own self? But, do you also think of loving yourself more than loving others? What is SELF? “Self” has many aspects. - It makes up its integral parts, such as awareness, self- esteem, self-knowledge, and self-perception. With these aspects, the person is able to alter, change, add, and/or modify himself or herself for the purpose of gaining social acceptance. The “self” is an important study in psychology. It holds that the “self” is either the cognitive or the affective representation of the individual. Cognitive Affective is relating to or is relating to or arising conscious intellectual from feelings activity. influenced by emotions. EXAMPLE : EXAMPLE : - attention, processing of (Values and Attitudes) information (visual and - include feelings, values, auditory), logic, reasoning, and appreciation, motivation, and processing speed attitude.  Chapter 1: The Self from Various Perspectives Sociology “Not only is the self entwined in the society: it owes its existence in the most literal sense.” -Theodor Adorno sees the “self’ as a product of social interactions, developed over time through social activities and experiences.  Chapter 1: The Self from Various Perspectives Anthropology the study of people, past, and present concerned with the understanding how humans evolved and how they differ from one another views the “self” as culturally shaped constructor idea Chapter 1: The Self from Various Perspectives Psychology sees the “self” as having characteristics or properties that can be used to describe it. Pioneers in the study pointed out that “self” is related to its physical and social environment, its unique, and necessary to its experiences. Eastern and Western civilizations have always sought to understand the “self.” Their view, however, stand on different perspectives. British philosopher Alan Watts (known for his interpretations of Eastern philosophy and mythology) talked about the great “myths” of the self. “myth” here is not used to describe a false story, rather it is used as a means to interpret a reality. The pervading myth in the West is that “the world is an artifact” which means that there is a clear distinction between the creator and the creation. “self” possesses an internal distinction from its external environment. That even though the “self’ functions in the world, the “self” is still its own. In the East however, the myth is that “the world is drama and all things are actors with specific part to play.” The “self’ is seen through the eyes of a community, rather than a detached, single entity. However, Watts further clarified that his statements on the two great myths of the “self’ is only a description of what it is “like’ in that civilization, and not a definition of what it “is.”  Socrates A Greek philosopher and one of the very (470-399 BC) few individual who shaped Western thought. “I know That I Don’t Know” He never wrote anything. Knowledge about Socrates is through second-hand information from the writings of his student Plato (another of the most influential Western thinkers) and historian Xenophon. He is known for the method of inquiry (Socratic Method) in testing idea. The Socratic method is tested by asking a series of questions to determine underlying beliefs and the extent knowledge to guide the person toward better understanding.  Socrates believed that philosophy had a very important role in the lives of the people. (470-399 BC) “the unexamined life is not worth living.” self-knowledge or the examination of one’s self, as well as the question about how one ought to love one’s life, are very important concerns because only by knowing yourself can you hope Some of Socrates’ ideas to improve your life. were: believed that you as a person should consciously contemplate, turn your gaze inward, and analyze The soul is immortal. the true nature and values that are guiding your The care of the soul is life. the task of philosophy. self-knowledge would open your eyes to your Virtue is necessary to true nature, which contrary to pop culture, is not attain happiness about what you own, how many “likes” you get on your social media posts, or how successful you are in your career. In fact, your real self is not even your body. Socrates According to him, the state of your inner being (470-399 BC) (soul/self) determines the quality of your life. Existence is two kinds: 1. The visible existence - It changes (e.g. Body) 2. The invisible existence - It remains constant (e.g. soul, or the kind that is invisible to humans yet understood by the mind) He also believes that the goal in life is to be happy. the virtuous man is a happy man, and the virtue alone is the one supreme good that will secure his/her happiness. Virtue is defined as moral excellence and an individual is considered virtuous if his/her character is made up of the moral qualities that are accepted as virtues,i.e., courage, temperance, prudence, and justice.  “Balanced between mind and body” Plato originally named Aristocles, but was called Plato by one of his teachers (428-347 BC) because of the breadth of his shoulders o speech. known as the Father of Idealism and a believer in rationalism philosophy. “collection and division” - philosopher “soul” is indeed the most divine would “collect” all the genetic ideas that aspect of the human being. seemed to have common characteristics However, his concept of divine and the divide them into different kinds is not a spiritual being but until the subdivision of ideas became rather one that has intellectual specific. connotation. The best known for his Theory of Forms that self/soul/mind according to asserted the physical world is not really Plato is the aspect of the they “real” world because the ultimate human beings by which the reality exists beyond the physical world Forms (ideas) are known.  Plato (428-347 BC) The Three parts of the soul : The appetitive (sensual) The element that enjoys sensual experiences, such as food, drink, and sex 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 The spirited (feeling) The element that is inclined toward reason but understand the demands of passion; the part that loves honor and victory  Aristotle (384-322 BC) “The soul is the essence of self” Aristotle holds that the soul is the essence of living things. Thus, the soul is the essence of was an ancient Greek philosopher, a student the self. of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. humans differ from other living believes that the soul is merely a set of things because of their capacity defining features and does not consider the of rational thinking. body and soul as separate entities. rational nature of the self is to suggests that anything with life has a soul. lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life (self-actualization). Aristotle (384-322 BC) Three kinds of soul: 1. Vegetative soul - It includes the physical body that can grow. 2. Sentient soul - It includes sensual desires, feelings, and emotions 3. Rational soul - Is what makes man human. - It includes the intellect that allows man to know and understand things Sigmund Freud He holds that the self-consist of three layers and he used the analogy of an iceberg to describe the three levels of the mind. “The self is multilayered” Conscious self Unconscious self Preconscious self He is an Australian psychoanalyst and is not a philosopher, but his views on the nature of the self have a far-reaching impact on philosophical thinking, as well as other disciplines such as psychology and sociology. Sigmund Freud 1. Conscious self - governed by the “reality principle.” - It is organized in ways that are rational, practical and appropriate to the environment. - It takes into account the realistic demands of the situation, the consequences of various actions, and the overriding need to preserve the equilibrium (balance) of the entire psychodynamic system of the self. 2. Unconscious self - Contains the basic instinctual drives including sexuality, aggressiveness, and self-destruction; traumatic memories; unfulfilled wishes and childhood fantasies; and thoughts and feelings that would be considered socially taboo. - It is characterized by the most primitive level of human motivation and human functioning which is governed by the “pleasure principle.” 3. Preconscious self - Contains materials that is not threatening and is easily brought to mind. - It is located between the conscious and the unconscious parts of the self. Freud further structured the psyche/mind into three parts: 1. Id operates on the pleasure principle. every wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. ex : “I want to do that now” 2. Ego It operates according to the reality principle. It works out realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands (often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society). The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette, and rules in deciding how to behave. ex : “Let’s figure out a way to work together” 3. Superego It incorporates the values and morals of society. is to control the id’s impulses and persuades the ego to choose moralistic goals and to strive for perfection rather than simply realistic ones. ex : “Good people dont think about those things.”  The superego consists of two According to Freud’s structure systems: of the mind, the ego and the 1. Conscience superego function in different If the ego gives in to the id’s levels of consciousness. There is a constant demands, the superego may movement of memories make the person feel bad and impulses from one through guilt. level to another. 2. Ideal self The id, on the other hand, is It is an imaginary picture of how unaffected by reality, logic, you ought to be. It represents or the everyday world as it operates within the career aspirations; how to treat unconscious part of the other people; and how to mind. behave as a member of society.  any question? Thank You!