Philosophical Perspectives Of The Self PDF

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF  Table of contents 01 02 03 Socrates Plato Aristotle 04 05 06 St. Augustine Rene Descartes John Locke 07...

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF THE SELF  Table of contents 01 02 03 Socrates Plato Aristotle 04 05 06 St. Augustine Rene Descartes John Locke 07 08 09 David Hume Immanuel Kant Gilbert Ryle 10 11 The Churchlands Maurice Merleau-Ponty  01 Socrates’ View of the Self  Introduction to Socrates Who was Socrates? - A classical Greek philosopher (469–399 BCE). - Known for his contributions to ethics, epistemology, and the philosophy of the self. - Famous for the Socratic method The Socratic Method A way of questioning and dialogue to stimulate critical thinking. Socrates' Influence on Western Philosophy - Founded the Socratic School of Philosophy. - Precursor to Plato and Aristotle’s ideas on the self and consciousness. The Self - The self is primarily the soul, which is immortal and central to our identity. - Emphasis on self-knowledge: "Know thyself.“ - The self is defined by rationality and morality rather than physical attributes. - The soul's development and purification are key to a virtuous life. The Soul and its Importance - The soul is eternal and governs the body. - It is the seat of knowledge, virtue, and wisdom. - Socrates believed that caring for the soul was more important than caring for material wealth or the body. - A good life is one that cultivates the soul through wisdom and virtue.  Understanding the Self through the Socratic Method Types of Questions Clarification: You may ask why a person gave the response they did, or how it relates to the topic at hand. Ex: - Why do you say that? - How is this related? - Could you explain this in more detail? Challenge assumptions: Someone may be asked how what they've said proves their initial assumptions to be true, or disproves them. Ex: - What can we assume from this? - What does that mean? - Can you verify your assumption?  Understanding the Self through the Socratic Method Types of Questions Look for evidence: You'll ask questions that help prove a point, such as requesting examples or looking for causes. Ex: - Do you have an example of this in real life? - What has caused you to believe this? - Why do you think this happened? Perspective: These questions make someone step back and see a situation from a differing point of view. Ex: - Is there another way to look at this? - Have you thought of the other person’s point of view? - Who benefits and who loses from this consequence?  Understanding the Self through the Socratic Method Types of Questions Discover consequences: Asking how something ties into a different topic, or what the ramifications of what's been asserted are, help someone think more deeply about an issue. Ex: - What is the implication of this? - Does this relate to previous knowledge? - How does X affect Y? Question the question: Further attempting to add depth, you may ask what the other person thinks the point of your questions are, or what the situation at large really means. Ex: - What does this mean? - How can you apply this in your everyday life? - What was the point of this enquiry?  02 Plato’s View of the Self  The Self According to Plato - the "self" is intricately tied to his ideas about the soul, knowledge, and the nature of reality. - the self is primarily identified with the soul, which is the eternal and unchanging part of a person. This soul is distinct from the body, which is temporary and subject to change.  The Soul's Tripartite Structure 1 The Rational Part This is the part of the soul that seeks truth and wisdom, responsible for reasoning and logical thinking. It is the highest part of the soul. 2 The Spirited Part This part is concerned with emotions, willpower, and honor. It is the source of courage and assertiveness. 3 The Appetitive Part This is the part of the soul that deals with desires, appetites, and basic needs like hunger, thirst, and sexual desire. The Soul's Immortality Plato argues that the soul is immortal. This means that the true self, or the soul, does not die with the body but continues to exist after physical death. The soul's journey is a process of seeking knowledge and understanding, which Plato links to the theory of recollection—where the soul remembers the knowledge it had before being born into the body. Knowledge and the Self For Plato, knowledge is not simply about empirical observation; it is about recalling the truths that the soul knew before entering the body. Plato’s Theory of Forms proposes two worlds: the imperfect physical realm we see and the perfect, eternal world of abstract Forms.  03 Aristotle’s View of the Self  The Self According to Aristotle - Aristotle's concept of the self is closely tied to his ideas about human nature, ethics, and the pursuit of the good life.  The Soul and Its Faculties 1 The Vegetative (or Nutritive) Soul The vegetative soul is responsible for basic life functions like growth and nutrition, found in plants.. 2 The Sensitive Soul The sensitive soul governs perception and movement, which is found in animals. 3 The Rational Soul The rational soul is unique to humans and enables reasoning, thought, and moral reflection. The self is deeply connected to the rational soul because it is the part of the soul that distinguishes humans from other living beings. Self-Knowledge and Reason A person’s ability to reflect on their thoughts and behavior is central to self- awareness and leads to virtuous living. Reason is the highest and most divine part of the human soul. The ability to reason allows an individual to deliberate about actions, choose the good, and live in accordance with virtue. Eudaimonia (Flourishing or Well-being) This is achieved through the actualization of one's rational capacities and living a life of virtue. The self, then, is not a static entity, but a dynamic process of becoming— becoming the best version of oneself through the exercise of reason and the cultivation of virtue. Self-Knowledge and Reason A person’s ability to reflect on their thoughts and behavior is central to self- awareness and leads to virtuous living. Reason is the highest and most divine part of the human soul. The ability to reason allows an individual to deliberate about actions, choose the good, and live in accordance with virtue. Eudaimonia (Flourishing or Well-being) This is achieved through the actualization of one's rational capacities and living a life of virtue. The self, then, is not a static entity, but a dynamic process of becoming— becoming the best version of oneself through the exercise of reason and the cultivation of virtue.  04 St. Augustine’s View of the Self  The Self According to St. Augustine - St. Augustine's conception of the self is deeply introspective and spiritual. - He views the self as fundamentally flawed and in need of divine grace for redemption. Love vs. Reason - Love is the primary essence of human nature and Reason is just secondary. - To understand oneself, one must understand the nature of love, the nature of the human heart, and how the human heart influences the actions of our embodied existence. Philosophy + Theology - Augustinian theology deals with the self, the inner world of the human heart, and, therefore, morality – how we should relate to others. - Knowledge of love and human relationships is the truest form of wisdom in life. - It does one no good to know all the secrets of the cosmos if one doesn’t know how to love and relate to other human beings.  05 Rene Descartes’ View of the Self The Self According to Rene Descartes - Revolves around the idea of mind-body dualism. - The mind hold the essential components of who we are – our consciousness, our understandings, and our feelings. “I think, therefore, I Am” - The mind, as the true self, is a thinking thing. - A thinking thing is a being that doubts, understands, asserts, denies, wills, imagines, etc.  06 John Locke’s View of the Self The Self According to John Locke - Personal identity or the self resides in consciousness. - A person is someone who considers itself to be the same thing in different times and different places.  07 David Hume’s View of the Self Bundle of The Self Theory by David Hume - an object consists of its properties and nothing more. - the self is nothing more than a bundle of our perceptions that quickly follow each other and are constantly changing.  08 Immanuel Kant’s View of the Self The Self According to Immanuel Kant - We all have an inner and an outer self which together form our consciousness. The inner self is comprised of our psychological state and our rational intellect. The outer self includes our sense and the physical world. When speaking of the inner self, there is apperception (self- consciousness which makes experience possible).  The Unity of Consciousness by Immanuel Kant - The thoughts and perceptions of any given mind are bound together in a unity by being all contained in one consciousness—my consciousness. - You are at the center of your world, and you view everything in the world from your perspective.  09 Gilbert Ryle’s View of the Self The Self According to Gilbert Ryle - Arguing that the mind does not exist and therefore can't be the seat of self, Ryle believed that self comes from behavior. - We are a collection of behaviors caused by the physical work of the body.  10 The Churchland’s View of the Self The Self According to The Churchlands (Paul & Patricia) - The self is the brain. - The physical brain is where we get our sense of self. - There is nothing supraphysical, nothing in the bounds of physical science.  11 Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s View of the Self The Self According to Maurice Merleau-Ponty - The self is our physical body. - Emphasized the body as the primary site of knowing the world.  Conclusion Socrates/Plato/Aristotle St. Augustine Rene Descartes You are your soul. You are how you love. You are your mind. John Locke David Hume You are your conciousness. You are your perceptions. Gilbert Ryle Immanuel Kant You are what you do. You are the unity of your consciousness The Churchlands Maurice Merleau-Ponty You are your brain. You are your body.