Philosophical Perspective of the Self PDF

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF  Learning Outcomes Explain why it is important to understand the self Describe the different concepts of the self from various philosophers across time and space Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different philosophical schoo...

PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF  Learning Outcomes Explain why it is important to understand the self Describe the different concepts of the self from various philosophers across time and space Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different philosophical schools Introduction What is Philosophy? from the G reek word s " phi l os " a nd "sophia" ⚬ philos - love ⚬ sophia - wisd om PHILO SO PHY is the mother of a l l d i s ci plines because it uses inquisitive mind to d iscover the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles of ever ythi ng. Philosophical View of the Self T he philosophy of self seeks to describe essential qualities that constitute a per son's uniqueness or essential being.  Ancient Philosophers S O C R AT E S P L ATO A R I S TO T L E S T. AUGUSTINE  Ancient Philosophers RENE D AV I D IMMANUEL G I L B E RT D E S C A RT E S HUME KANT RY L E Ancient Philosophers JOHN MAURICE LOCKE PONTY Overview S ocrates is consid er ed as Father of Wes ter n Phi l os ophy Known for hi s Soc r a tic M e th od Main Concept A. “ K NO W THY S E L F" T he g oal of life is to know thyself and to improve our souls through vir tuous living” An unexamined life is not wor th living. Main Concept B. DUALISM Main Concept S ocrates as the firs t thi nker i n Wes ter n hi s tor y u n d er scor ed the fu l l power of r eas on on the hu m an s el f: ⚬ who we are? ⚬ who we s hou l d be? ⚬ who we wi l l become? · T he s ou l s tr ives for wi s dom and perfection and in or d er to achi eve thi s s tate of l i fe, we u s e REA S ON as ou r tool. Overview Pl ato i s a s tu dent of S ocr ates Main Concept “ T H E S O U L I S I M M O RTA L ” Self can b e exp lain ed as a process of self -kn owledg e an d p urificatio n o f th e so ul. ⚬ SELF - KNOWLEDGE - a p ractical task in life wh ich consists of self - examin atio n ab o ut wh at o n e is really do in g in life/ ackn owledgin g th e limit 3 COMPONENTS OF SELF RATIONAL S OUL ⚬ divin e essen ce th at allows us to think dee p ly, make wise ch o ices, an d ach ieve a tr ue un derstan din g o f eter n al tr uth s ⚬ g over n s reaso n APPETITIVE S OUL ⚬ p er tain s to PHYSICA L ap p etite wh ich in cludes o ur b asic b io lo gical n eeds (h un g er, slee p, sexual desires, etc.) S PIRITED S OUL ⚬ in cludes b asic emo tio n s such as love, emp athy, an d an g er. Overview A r i s totle i s a s tu d ent of Pl ato. Cons i d er ed man as a r ati onal ani mal. Main Concept "T HE SO UL I S T HE ESSENCE O F T HE SEL F " T h e b o dy an d th e s o ul ar e n o t two s e p ar ate elemen ts b ut jus t o n e. T h e s o ul is s imp ly th e fo r m o f th e b o dy. With o ut th e b o dy the soul can n ot exis t. THREE KINDS OF SOUL V EGETATI V E ⚬ in cludes th e p hysical body that can g row SENTIENT ⚬ in cludes o ur sen sual desires, feelin gs, an d emo tio ns RATIONA L ⚬ in cludes th e in tellect th at makes man kn ow an d un derstan d th in gs Overview Reg ar d ed as s ai nt i n the Cathol i c chu r ch and i nteg r ated the i d eas of Pl ato to Chr i s tianity. Main Concept "I AM DOUBT I NG, T HEREFORE I AM" S E LF - cr eated in th e imag e o f Go d ⚬ We can o n ly kn ow o ur s elf th r o ug h kn owin g Go d – this can b e do n e th r o ug h FAITH an d R E AS ON. M ain g o al o f s elf: HAPPINE S S Overview Rene Des car tes i s the father of mod er n phi l os ophy. Main Concept "I T HI NK T HEREF ORE I AM" DUA LI S M - a th eo r y o r s ys tem o f th o ug h t th at r eg ar ds a do main o f r eality in ter ms o f two in de p en dent p r in cip les, esp ecially mind and matter S KE PT I CI S M - th e th eo r y th at cer tain kn owledg e is imp o s s ib le S elf is th in kin g n o t s en s in g - S E LF - CONS CIOUS Main Concept (David Hume) "T HERE I S NO SEL F " Self is a bundle of impression or perce pti ons of others (individual impression) T he bundle of impression is just a collection of variable and inter r upted par t. Identity – is just a union created in the imagination Main Concept (Kant) "WE CO NST RUCT T HE SEL F " O ur m i n d s activel y s o r t, o rg an i z e, rel ate, an d s yn th esi z e th e f ragm en ted , f luctuatin g co llectio n of sense data th at o ur s en s e o rg an s take i n. Co n s tr ucti ng activ i ty i s p reci s el y w h at o ur m i n d s are d o i n g al l o f th e time: tak in g th e raw data of ex p eri en ce an d activel y s yn thesi z i ng i t i n to th e f am i l i ar, o rd erl y, m ean i n gf ul wo rl d i n w h i ch we l ive. Main Concept (Ryle) "T HE SEL F I S T HE WAY PEO PL E BEHAVE" T h e s el f i s b es t un d ers to od as a p atter n o f b eh av io r – th e ten den cy o f th e p ers o n to act i n cer tai n ci rcum s tan ces. Main Concept (Ponty) "T HE SEL F I S EMBO DI ED SUBJECT I VI TY" Al l k n ow l ed g e o f o urs el ves an d o ur wo rld is b as ed o n s ubjective ex p eri en ce. T h e s el f can n ever b e tr ul y o b j ecti f i ed.