Philosophical Perspectives of the Self - Ancient Philosophy PDF

Philosophical Perspectives of the Self – Ancient Philosophy Philosophy – the study of the basic/fundamental principles of life, knowledge, reality, existence, morality, human nature, using logic and reason. Philos = love; Sophia = wisdom; therefore, Philosophy literally means love of wisdom....

Philosophical Perspectives of the Self – Ancient Philosophy Philosophy – the study of the basic/fundamental principles of life, knowledge, reality, existence, morality, human nature, using logic and reason. Philos = love; Sophia = wisdom; therefore, Philosophy literally means love of wisdom. While it is an academic discipline, it does not provide ultimate answers despite the ultimate nature of philosophical ideas Ancient Philosophy 1000 BC to 500 AD Three periods: 1. Pre-Socratic Pre-Socratics (The Milesians) – How do you answer the questions, “Who am I”? o Predated Socrates o Cosmo-centric – there is a fundamental principle/thing that underlies everything else including the human self: ▪ Thales – water ▪ Anaximander – Apeiron “Boundless something” ▪ Anaximenes – Air ▪ Democritus – atom ▪ Heraclitus – fire ▪ Anaxagoras – mind ▪ Pythagoras – numbers o Were concerned with explaining what the world is really made up of, why the world is so, and what explains the changes that they observed around them. o Sought to find an explanation for the nature of change, the seeming permanence despite change, and the unity of the world amidst its diversity. 2. Ancient Triumvirate (Socrates, Plato, Aristotle) 2.1. Socrates o He did not write anything, but his ideas were echoed by his student Plato, in his Dialogues. o Was the first thinker in Western history to focus on the full power of reason on the human self: who we are, who we should be, and who we will become. o Was convinced that, in addition to our physical bodies, each person possesses an immortal soul that survives beyond the death of the body. o Reality is dualistic, made up to two dichotomous realms: ▪ One realm is changeable, transient, and imperfect, the other is unchanging, eternal, immortal. ▪ The Physical Realm: changeable, transient, and imperfect ▪ The Ideal Realm/Spiritual world: unchanging, eternal, immortal. ▪ Although there is a close relationship between our souls and our bodies, they are radically different entities: ▪ Our souls strive for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve this exalted state. But, as long as the soul is tied to the body, this quest for wisdom is inhibited by the imperfection of the physical realm, as the soul is “dragged by the body into the region of the changeable,” where it “wanders and is confused”. However, with the use of reason, the soul can free itself from the corrupting imperfection of the physical realm and achieve “communion with the unchanging.” ▪ The soul is a unified indissoluble, immortal entity that remains the same over time, and that is in the very likeness of the divine. ▪ Socrates’s ideas closely parallel modern Western consciousness (a finite body, immortal soul, perfect, eternal realm with which the soul seeks communion and eternal bliss) = Western (and some Eastern) religions.  2.2. Plato o Supported Socrates’s idea that man is a dual nature of body and soul. o Three parts of the soul/self (psyche) ▪ Reason - The divine essence that lets us think deeply (wisdom), make wise choices, and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths. ▪ Physical Appetite - Accounts for the basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst, and sexual desire ▪ Spirit/Passion - Accounts for the basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, empathy ▪ These three elements are in a dynamic relationship with one another, sometimes working in concert, sometimes in bitter conflict. However, Plato believes that it is the responsibility of our Reason to sort things out and exert control, reestablishing a harmonious relationship among the three elements of our selves. Further, he emphasizes that justice in the human person can only be attained if the three parts of the soul are working harmoniously with one another. 2.3. Aristotle o The mind (self) is a tabula rasa (a blank tablet) (Just as the view of John Locke). o Rejected Plato’s radical dualism between the material and nonmaterial. However, his metaphysical system was categorized into two: ▪ Matter (hyle) – refers to the common “stuff” that makes up the material universe. ▪ Form (morphe) – refers to the essence of a thing, that which makes it what it is. ▪ Unlike Socrates’s and Plato’s dualism, matter and form require each other in order to exist, thus, matter and form cannot exist independently of one another. ▪ Everything that exists has both a material element and a formal element; and although we can separate these two in thought, they cannot be separated in reality. ▪ In the case of the human person: Soul = form of the body. The soul and the body cannot be separated into discreet existences, they can only exist in relationship to one another. o Hylomorphism – a philosophical theory developed by Aristotle that views “being” as a compound of form and matter, where organisms consist of both matter and form, which can only exist in relation to one another. o The soul is the form or structure that distinguishes living things from non-living things. o Aristotle is a passionate exponent of virtue ethics, which is focused on the moral quality of individuals rather than their actions. o The goal of the human self is reached in happiness through moderation or balance of things. 3. Post-Aristotelians o Most post-Aristotelians continued to maintain the dualism between body and soul, however, their ideas, philosophy in general, became more practical in its aims. Therefore, Philosophy itself came to occupy itself with ethical problems, and to be regarded as a refuge from the miseries of life. o What are the moral norms in attaining happiness? Post-Aristotelian Schools of Thought: o Stoicism - apathy or indifference to pleasure ▪ Especially known for teaching that virtue is the only good for human beings, and that external things (e.g., health, wealth, and pleasure) are not good or bad in themselves but have value as material for virtue to act upon. ▪ The best indication of an individual’s philosophy was not what a person said but how a person behaved. o Hedonism – only pleasure or pain motivates us, thus one should actively seek out pleasure  ▪ Pleasure – including or included in all pleasant feeling or experience: contentment, delight, ecstasy, elation, enjoyment, euphoria, exhilaration, exultation, gladness, gratification, gratitude, joy, liking, love, relief, and satisfaction. o Epicureanism – moderate pleasure; avoidance of pain rather than actively seeking out pleasure ▪ Epicureans say that nature seems to command us to avoid pain, and they point out that all animals try to avoid pain as much as possible References: Balah, K.O., Garcia, K.J., Llorente, J. (2020). Learning Module in Understanding the Self Chaffee, J. (2016). The Philosopher's Way. Pearson Education Diano, C., & Duignan, B. (2024, July 16). Epicureanism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Epicureanism Moore, A. (2019). Hedonism. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hedonism/ Saunders, J. L. (2024, July 23). Stoicism. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Stoicism