The Self: Philosophical Perspective PDF

The Self: Philosophical Perspective VALLIANT DALE B. ACORDA A number of philosophers through ages have posited ideas about the nature of self David Hume Rene De Descartes Socrates Plato Saint Agustine of Hippo  the self is a thinkin...

The Self: Philosophical Perspective VALLIANT DALE B. ACORDA A number of philosophers through ages have posited ideas about the nature of self David Hume Rene De Descartes Socrates Plato Saint Agustine of Hippo  the self is a thinking Personal Identity is thing, distinct from made possible by the body self-consciousness the self is an imomortal John Locke Descartes soul that exist over time There is no "self" only a bundle of the self is unifying constantly changing subject, an perceptions passing organizing through the theater consciousness that of our minds makes intelligible David Hume Immanuel Kant experience posible The self is The Self is embodied multi-layered The self i s the subjectivity brain. The Self is the Mental state will be way people supersededby Maurice Meleau- Ponty behave brain states Paul Churchland Sigmund Freud Gilbert Ryle Socrates "Know thy self" 470-399 BC Born in Athens there was the soul first before man's body. Socrates 470-399 BC a classical Greek philosopher Pioneer in Western moral Philosophy he introduced the "Socratic problem" also known as the "Socratic question" the goal was to "Know thy self" There should be a dialouge between the self and the soul Socrates 470-399 BC one should accept that he knows nothing and he knows and accept that he knows nothing as this leads ro learning and discovering the truth. he was greatly known for his "Socratic Method" stated that "An unexamined life is not woth living" Socrates 470-399 BC one has to self-examine and discuss about the self as this is a duty to achieve what is the greatest good to a life. the goal of the Socratic perspective is to better the quality of human life through consistent self examination.  Plato 424-347 BC " If we are ever to have pure knowledge of anything, we must get rid of the body and contemplate things by themselves with the soul by itself"  Plato 424-347 BC he was born into an aristocratic Athenian family which is involved in the rule of Thirty Tyrants. later in his life he founded the academy. (prototype of the modern university)  Plato 424-347 BC the dichotomy of the "Ideal World" or the world of forms and the "Material World"  Plato 424-347 BC THE WORLD OF FORMS Permanent unchanging reality as opposed to the world of Materials.  Plato 424-347 BC THE WORLD OF MATERIALS keeps on changing it is what we see around us where we live, is just a replica of the real world found in the world of forms  Plato 424-347 BC founder of western spirituality. he stated that the "psche" or the "mind" is composed of 3 elements  Plato 424-347 BC 1. The appetites which involve our pleasurable desires such as those which provide us physical pleasure and physiological comfort.  Plato 424-347 BC 2. the spirit which denotes the part within us that is agitated most of the time. it is highly spirited and motivated to surpass amd conquer life challenges. it is the area within us that enjoys triumph, honor, greatness and affirmation.  Plato 424-347 BC 3. the mind is the consciuous awareness which thinks, meditate , weighs choices and assess situation in our lives. This side is the rational and logical as it chooses only the best for us.  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO 354-430 AD "But my sin was this, that i looked for pleasure, beauty, and truth not in him but in myself and his other creature, and the search led me instead to pain, confusion, and error." (Confessions, AD 397-400)  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO 354-430 AD Self confesed sinner from North Africa, who later became the bishop of Canterbury. he was greatly inspired by Plato.  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO 354-430 AD a christian theologian and philosopher he greatly contributed to the progress of Western Christianity through his writing " The City of God on Christian Doctrine" and "Confession"  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO he pointed sin as the source of human unhappiness as sin impare human free will. he discovered and developed the concept of individual identity. he conceptualized an idea of the 354-430 AD self and eventually achieving an identity.  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO two-fold process Self- presentation leading to; Self- realization St. Agustine reiterated that one transforms as he strugles in both body and soul to ultimately 354-430 AD achieve happiness specifically found in God's Love.  ST. AGUSTINE OF HIPPO he explored on the relationship between the mind and body which are all essentials in the formation of a person. he stressed on the superiority of the mind over that of the body. understanding of self and the formation of identity is achieved 354-430 AD through the process of "Introspection" or self- analysis rene descartes 1596-1650 " I think, therefore; I am." Father of modern Philosophy A frenchman who was akso brilliant mathematician.( Cartesian Geometry) I think, therefore; I am also know as the "Cogito" (Cogito ergo sum) Consciousness of his mind which leads to an evidence of his existence- despite the fact that he is doubting the existence of everything physical,including his own body rene descartes 1596-1650 he reiterated the role of cognition as the active acquisition of knowledge involving the individual's imagination, intellect, perception, as well as memory. he describe the mind as the "Intellectual substance" which process a will.  rene descartes 1596-1650 he pointed onto the relationship between the mind and the body. from that insight begun his quest for true knowledge and stated his very brilliant principle. " Cogito, ergo sum" (I think, therfore I am) method to assess one's self this is Descartes' first theory of knowledge which laid foundation in his concept of self  rene descartes 1596-1650 he asserted that the idea of being human brings about an awareness of the self which may lead to the development of unique identity. being self-conscious is necessary to develop a personal identity. the essence of your self makes you a "thinking thing" engage in all forms of mental operations determinant of being a human with distinct persona.  John Locke "What worries you, masters you" Father of Classical Liberalism A prominent thinker during the "Age of Reason" he is an English Philisopher "Theory of mind" a breakthrough in the origin of modern understanding of the concept of identity in the self. 1632-1704 the concept of "TABULA RASA"  John Locke the mind is a blank state without innate ideas experience provides knowledge provided by sensory experiences and reflections. personal identity or self is found in the counsciusness. the brain as comprising the consciousness which has one's identity. alleged that life is a quest for understanding of what is after death and 1632-1704 immortality  John Locke he argued as well that a person may only be judged for the acts of his body but the truth according to him is that one os liable only for the acts of which he conscious. 1632-1704  David Hume "Reason is, and ought only to be the slave of the passions, and can never pretend to any other office than to serve and obey them."(Treatise of Human Nature, 1738) 1711-1776  David Hume Born in Edinburgh, Scotland a Lawyer he is known more for the history book he wrote, History of England he is the prime mover in western philosophy he is known for his insights on the psychological basis of human nature where he posited that passion rather reason govern human behavior. 1711-1776  David Hume he argued against the existence of innate ideas, positing that all human knowledge is ultimately founded solely in experience. he reiterated that reason is only the slave of passion which implies that logic and intellect is basically superseded by an individual's passion, drive and motivation. he perceived that experiences are derived from internal and external stimulus and they 1711-1776 create impression on the individual.  David Hume Self and one's mind is like a machine that cab be turned on and off as they are only active when one os conscious. 1711-1776 Immanuel Kant 1724- 1804 "All our Knowledge begins with the senses, proceeds then to the understanding, and ends with a reason. There is nothing higher than reason." (The Critique of Pure Reason, 1781) Immanuel Kant born in Prussia 1724- 1804 a great contributor in the modern western philosophy. he asserted that it is the human mind which creates experiences these experiences are similar among human on the level of abstraction as we share important characteristics that resembles in specific points of interests. Immanuel Kant Human experiences make up our persona 1724- 1804 according to logical effects provided by certain causes the development of individuality and the self is a result of unique human experiences as it forges significant learning within the person. Immanuel Kant "Every person has an inner and outer self 1724- 1804 which comprises the consciousness." intellect as well as psychological state of a being is what we call as the inner self while the outer self is made of the senses and the physical self.. Largely, the object of the inner self is the "SOUL" while the outer self is directed to ythe " BODY" St. Thomas Aquianas "Experiencing that something exists 1724- 1804 doesn’t tell us what it is.” A lot of philosophers believed that a man is composed of a body and a soul. According to St. Aquinas, our two parts are the matter and the form. So basically, that is his own version of the body and the soul. St. Thomas Aquianas 1724- 1804 1. Matter comes from the Greek word “hyle” which means the common stuff that makes up everything in the universe that includes man's body while 2. Form comes from the Greek word “morphe” which means the essence of a substance or thing that makes it what it is. St. Thomas Aquianas 1724- 1804 In the case of the human person, the body is something that he shares even with animals; what makes a human person a human person is his soul, his essence. St. Thomas Aquianas 1724- 1804 It only means that the cells in man’s body for example are more or less akin to the cells of any other living, organic being in the world. The body of the human may be similar to animals or objects, but what makes a human person a human person and not a dog, or tiger for example is his soul, his essence. St. Thomas Aquianas 1724- 1804 For him, we don’t encounter ourselves as isolated minds or selves, but always an agent interacting with our environment. Therefore, the soul is what animates the body, it is what makes us humans. SIGMUND FREUD “Early childhood experiences that create high levels of anxiety are repressed into unconscious, where they may influence behavior, emotions, and attitudes for years.” SIGMUND FREUD The psyche is structured into three parts (i.e., tripartite) ID (Pleasure Principle) EGO ( Reality Principle) SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) SIGMUND FREUD all developing at different stages in our lives (also known as three layers of the self). These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical. SIGMUND FREUD ID (Pleasure Principle) is the primitive and instinctive component of personality consists of all the inherited components of personality present at birth SIGMUND FREUD ID (Pleasure Principle) Sex/ life instinct (Eros) Eros- contains the libido Aggressive/ death instinct (Thanatos) It is the impulsive (and unconscious) part of our psyche which responds directly and immediately to the instincts. SIGMUND FREUD ID (Pleasure Principle) It remains infantile in its function throughout a person’s life and does not change with time or experience, as it is not in touch with the external world; SIGMUND FREUD ID (Pleasure Principle) it is not affected by reality, logic or the everyday world, as it operates within the unconscious part of the mind. It operates on the pleasure principle which is the idea that every wishful impulse should be satisfied immediately, regardless of the consequences. SIGMUND FREUD ID (Pleasure Principle) When the id achieves its demands, we experience pleasure when it is denied we experience ‘unpleasure’ or tension. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) refers to the part of the id which has been modified by the direct influence of the external world. It develops to mediate between the unrealistic id and the external real world. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) It is the decision-making component of personality it operates according to the reality principle, working out realistic ways of satisfying the id’s demands, often compromising or postponing satisfaction to avoid negative consequences of society. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) The ego considers social realities and norms, etiquette and rules in deciding how to behave. Like the id, the ego seeks pleasure (i.e., tension reduction) and avoids pain, but unlike the id, the ego is concerned with devising a realistic strategy to obtain pleasure. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) The ego has no concept of right or wrong; something is good simply if it achieves its end of satisfying without causing harm to itself or the id. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) If the ego fails in its attempt to use the reality principle, and anxiety is experienced, unconscious defense mechanisms are employed, to help ward off unpleasant feelings (i.e., anxiety) or make good things feel better for the individual. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) The ego engages in secondary process thinking, which is rational, realistic, and orientated towards problem-solving. If a plan of action does not work, then it is thought through again until a solution is found. SIGMUND FREUD EGO ( Reality Principle) This is known as reality testing and enables the person to control their impulses and demonstrate self-control, via mastery of the ego. SIGMUND FREUD SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) refers to the incorporation of the values and morals of society which are learned from one's parents and others. It develops around the age of 3 – 5 during the phallic stage of psychosexual development. SIGMUND FREUD SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) Its function is to control the id's impulses, especially those which society forbids, such as sex and aggression; SIGMUND FREUD SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) it also has the function of persuading the ego to turn to moralistic goals rather than simply realistic ones and to strive for perfection. SIGMUND FREUD SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) It consists of two systems: conscience - can punish the ego through causing feelings of guilt ego-ideal - is an imaginary picture of how one ought to be, and represents career aspirations, how to treat other people, and how to behave as a member of society. SIGMUND FREUD SUPER EGO (Moral and Idealistic Principal) Behavior which falls short of the ideal self may be punished by the superego through guilt. The super-ego can also reward through the ideal self when one behaves ‘properly’ by making him feel proud. GILBERT rYLE “Man need not to be degraded to a machine by being denied to be a ghost in a machine. He might, after all, be a sort of animal, namely, a higher mammal.” GILBERT rYLE This means to solved the mind-body dichotomy that has been running for a long time in the history of thought by blatantly denying the concept of an internal, non-physical self. GILBERT rYLE For him, what truly matters is the behavior that a person manifests in his day-to-day life. Mind is not separated from the body (contradict with Descartes’ dualism) mind-ghost in the machine. GILBERT rYLE He suggests that the "self" is not an entity one can locate and analyze but simply the convenient name that people use to refer to all the behaviors that people make. It simply says that Mental Processes are merely intelligent acts. There is no internal, non-physical self. GILBERT rYLE The thinking I will never be found because it is just a “ghost in the machine”. The mind is never separate from the body. The physical actions or behaviors are dispositions of the self. The mind is a disposition of the self. GILBERT rYLE his only means that all manifestation in physical activities or behavior for example are the dispositions of the self, the basis of the statement; “I act therefore I am” or “You are what you do”. PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND “Our behavior appears to have its basic cause in neural activity” Paul and Patricia Churchland promoted the position called “eliminative materialism” bring forth neuroscience into the fore of understanding the self. PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND It simply means that Philosophy and Psychology has failed to provide satisfactory position in understanding the self. They tossed aside the concept of dualism and the brain and adhered to materialism PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND the belief that nothing but matter exist, if it cannot be recognized by the senses, then it is akin to a fairytale in his identity theory the minds are identical to a particular brain state our mind and individuality are based upon unique neurological assemblies of one type of brain function. PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND “Our behavior appears to have its basic cause in neural activity..." NEUROBIOLOGY as the Churchland’s wanted to predict, when people wanted to ask what is going on with themselves, they might as well go for MRI scan or CT scan to understand the present condition of the brain and how it currently works. PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND Churchland challenges the concept of the mind by using the misfortune of traumatic brain injury. eliminative materialism asks 'if the mind is the seat of self, why does brain injury alter a person's personality? If the mind was a real separate entity, wouldn't it retain a person's sense of self despite damage to a physical organ? PAUL AND PATRICIA CHURCHLAND Since brain damage alters a person's personality, Churchland asserts that the concept of self originates in the physical brain, not an invented mind. Maurice MERLEAU- PONTY “The world and I are within one another” A phenomenologist who asserts that the mind-body bifurcation is a futile endeavor and an invalid problem. Unlike Ryle who simply denies the "self," he instead says that the mind and body are intertwined that they cannot be separated from one another. Maurice MERLEAU- PONTY the living body, his thoughts, emotions, and experiences are all one. He proposes treating perception as a causal process. It means that our perceptions are caused by the intricate experiences the self, and processed intellectually while distinguishing truthful perceptions from illusory. Maurice MERLEAU- PONTY Therefore, the self is taken as a phenomenon of the world. He also believes that perception does not belong to the world, but to the self.