Philosophy of Self PDF

Philosophy ○ Appetite - biological; driven “philo” - love by desires and physical need “sofia” - wisdom ○ Spirit - deals with emotions - The study of k...

Philosophy ○ Appetite - biological; driven “philo” - love by desires and physical need “sofia” - wisdom ○ Spirit - deals with emotions - The study of knowledge or wisdom True self: rational part is the true - Pursuit of knowledge and self, which seeks knowledge of the understanding of fundamental truths eternal forms | responsibility of the of life reason to organize, control and reestablish harmonious relationship PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE Aristotle SELF Hylomorphism - the self is a unity of body (matter) and the soul (form). Socrates The soul is the essence that gives “The unexamined life is not worth living” life to the body.q “Self is dichotomous” The Soul’s Functions: Different Athens, Greece aspects of the soul are responsible Self is best understood through for various functions, such as introspection and questioning nutrition (plants), sensations Socratic Method (asking questions) (animals), and rational thought True self is the soul, distinct from the (human) body, immortal and the source of 3 Kinds of Soul moral and intellectual virtues ○ Vegetative: growth, Self is dichotomous reproduction, nourishment ○ Physical realm - anything we [Plants+Animals] sense (worldly experience) ○ Sentient (Sensitive): feelings, ○ Ideal realm - intellectual movements, senses essence of the universe [Animals+Humans] Living a good life involves knowing ○ Rational: reasoning, thinking, oneself, which leads to virtuous understanding [Unique to actions Human] Body - changed, imperfect, dies Eudaimonia (Flourishing) - the self’s Soul - immortal and unified entity purpose is to achieve a fulfilling life that is consistent over time through virtuous actions and Plato reasons “There are 3 parts of our soul/self: St. Augustine reason, physical appetite, spirit or “All knowledge leads to Gosh” passion” “Real happiness can only be found in Student of Socrates God” Divided the self to body (perishable, Blended platonic thought with material) and soul (eternal, Christian doctrine immaterial) The self is the soul that seeks God The Tripartite Soul (Three Part Soul) Introspection: the self is known ○ Reason - rational part; seeks through inner reflection, revealing truth and wisdom the presence of God within  The self is in constant battle “Human created an imaginary creature between bodily desires and spiritual which is not real” aspirations “All knowledge is derived from human The self is the soul, striving for senses” divine unity and moral integrity Bundle Theory - the self is not a through inner reflection single, permanent entity but a collection of changing perceptions Rene Descartes and experiences “Cogito Ergo Sum” - I think therefore, I We have no direct experience of am constant self, only of fleeting “In order to gain true knowledge, one thoughts, emotions and sensations must doubt everything even own The idea of permanent self is a existence” mental construct not an actual entity Father/Founder of Modern 2 Distinct Entities Philosophy ○ Impression: basic sensations The self is a thinking entity. The of people’s experience existence of the self is confirmed ○ Ideas: thoughts and images through the act of thinking from impressions, less lively Dualism: The self (Mind) is distinct and vivid from the body. THe mind is Immanuel Kant non-material, capable of thought, “Self is the product of reason” while body is material and occupies Transcendental Self - the self is not space an object of experience but the 2 Dimensions of the Human Self condition that makes experience ○ Conscious/Thinking Self: part possible of the spirit realm Unity of Consciousness: The self ○ Physical self: part of nature unifies and organizes sensory Skepticism: Descartes doubted experiences into coherent everything that could be doubted, knowledge leaving the self as the only certain Dual Aspect: being Phenomenal Self: The self is John Locke experienced in the world Tabula Rasa - The self begins as a Noumenal Self: The self as it exist in blank state, written upon by itself, beyond sensory experience experiences Sigmund Freud Empiricism - The self is a conscious, “Self is conscious and unconscious” thinking entity formed by experience. “Behaviors are driven by 2 instincts: life There is no innate self, it is shaped and death” by sensory experiences Psychoanalytic theory: Self is Personal Identity - The self’s identity structured into 3 parts is tied to memory and continuity of ○ Id: Unconscious source of consciousness, not the substance of instinctual drives and desires the soul or body David Hume  ○ Ego: Rational part that The self is defined by its interaction mediates between the id, with the world, through the body reality and the superego perception and action are key to ○ Superego: the internalized understanding the self moral standards and ideals The self and the world are Unconscious motivation: much of the intertwined; the self is always “in the self is driven by unconscious desires world” shaping and being by it and conflicts Gilbert Ryle SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE “The self is not an entity one can locate” SELF “You are how you act” Critique of Cartesian Dualism, “Understanding of the self only arises in calling it “ghost of the machine” relationships, in watching yourself in Behaviorism: the self is not an relationship to people, ideas and things; to internal hidden entity but is trees, the earth, and the world around you observable in our behaviors and and within you. Relationship is the mirror in actions which the self is revealed. Without Category mistake: the idea of a self-knowledge there is no basis for right separate self is a misunderstanding. thought and action” The self is simple the sum of one’s - Jiddu Krishnamurti behavior Paul Churchland Sociology: scientific study of social groups “Self is product of brain activity” and human relationships that generates Eliminative Materialism: traditional new insights into the interconnectedness concepts like beliefs, desires and the between the self and the others self are outdated. Sociological approach: studies how social The self is better understood as a environments influence individual behavior series of brain states and and self-perception neurological processes. Core Concept: The self is shaped by social The self is a construct of the brain, norms, values, roles and relationships without any heed for dualistic or folk-psychological explanations Charles Horton Cooley Rejection of Folk Psychology - “Looking Glass Self: concepts like “Self” are not The self is shaped by how we think scientifically valid and should be others perceive us replaced with neurobiological terms There are 3 components Maurice Merleau-Ponty ○ Imagination of Appearance: “The mind and body cannot be how we think we appear to separated” others The self is not detached mind but is ○ Imagination of Judgement: always embodied. The body is how we think others judge central to how we perceive and that appearance engage with the world ○ Self-feeling: our emotional response to perceived  judgment (e.g. pride or People have more fixed identity tied shame) to their social roles George Herbert Mead [Post Modern] “Theory of Social Self” The self becomes more fluid and Social Self - the self emerges from fragmented social interactions and Hyper Consumerism and media communications contribution to identity formation Mead’s Key Ideas “I” vs “Me” Greater freedom but also instability ○ I - Spontaneous in defining oneself unpredictable part of the self Jean Baudrillard (kung sino ka talaga) Hyperreality: the self is influenced by ○ Me - the socialized reflective simulated realities (e.g. media, aspect that conforms to technology, advertisement) that blur societal expectation (sino bet the line between real and fake mo maging based on society) Consumer Society: Identity is Role taking: We learn to see constructed through consumptions ourselves from the perspective of of symbol and signs, not through others deep personal experiences Self is developed due to three forms of inter-subjective activity: language, play, and game Stages of Self-Formation ○ Preparatory Stage (early childhood | 0-3y.o) - behaviors are primarily based on imitation ○ Play Stage (3-5y.o) - begin role-playing and pretend to be other people ○ Game Stage (early school years | 8-9y.o) - children understands multiple roles and the concept of the “generalized other” SELF AS PRODUCT OF MODERN AND POST MODERN SOCIETY Gerry Lanuza [Modern] Self is shaped by the stable institutions like family, education, and work Anthropological Conceptualization of the Self Anthropology - ancient artifacts/ruins understanding human beings. How we lived or what we used to believe Self is seen as fluid and dynamic being shaped by the environment. How self is seen in anthropology We are each a product of biological endowments, culture, and personal history.Culture, ideology, and cultural events along with transmitted cultural practices influence each of us. We are each the product of our collective interchanges.. We are each molecule in the helix of human consciousness joined in a physical world. We form a coil of connective tissues soldered together by cultural links. - Kilroy J Oldster Anthropology Scientific study of human, human behavior, and societies in the past and present Focuses on cultural social and physical aspects of life In understanding the self; explores how culture influences the formation of self-concept, identity and behavior Cultural influence: the self is shaped by the values, norms and practices of one's culture Anthropologists study self in the context of social interactions, rituals and institutions Ethnographic Investigations Ethnography: A qualitative research method used to study cultures and  their impact on people’s behavior Ethnic identity: Emphasizes (Immersing oneself) sameness of the self with others in Cultural variations: affect mental the same ethnic or cultural group states, language, and behavioral According to Peacock (1986): The expressions individual is not a robot nor entirely Ethnographic studies provide insight independent but exists within the into how different societies framework of cultural expectations conceptualize the self ○ The cultural individual Example: emotional expressions and navigates freedom within mental health can vary significantly these expectations, across cultures balancing personal and collective identity. Edward Taylor: What is Culture? Philosophy Culture: “That complex whole “philo” - love includes knowledge, belief, art, “sofia” - wisdom morals, laws, customs, and any - The study of knowledge or wisdom other capabilities and habits - Pursuit of knowledge and acquired by man as a member of a understanding of fundamental truths society. of life Culture not behavior itself, but the shared understandings that guide PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE behavior SELF These shared understandings are expressed in behavior, but culture is Socrates the underlying system that informs “The unexamined life is not worth living” how individuals act “Self is dichotomous” Athens, Greece Martin Sokefeld Self is best understood through Emphasizes that the self is a introspection and questioning universal human feature found Socratic Method (asking questions) across all cultures True self is the soul, distinct from the However, they way the self is body, immortal and the source of perceived and expressed is shaped moral and intellectual virtues by cultural norms Self is dichotomous The self is both an individual ○ Physical realm - anything we experience and a social construct, sense (worldly experience) influenced by the values and ○ Ideal realm - intellectual practices of the community. essence of the universe Living a good life involves knowing Social Anthropology: Ethnic Identity and oneself, which leads to virtuous the Self actions Social anthropology often discusses Body - changed, imperfect, dies the concept of identity within the Soul - immortal and unified entity context of ethnic identity that is consistent over time Plato St. Augustine “There are 3 parts of our soul/self: “All knowledge leads to Gosh” reason, physical appetite, spirit or “Real happiness can only be found in passion” God” Student of Socrates Blended platonic thought with Divided the self to body (perishable, Christian doctrine material) and soul (eternal, The self is the soul that seeks God immaterial) Introspection: the self is known The Tripartite Soul (Three Part Soul) through inner reflection, revealing ○ Reason - rational part; seeks the presence of God within truth and wisdom The self is in constant battle ○ Appetite - biological; driven between bodily desires and spiritual by desires and physical need aspirations ○ Spirit - deals with emotions The self is the soul, striving for True self: rational part is the true divine unity and moral integrity self, which seeks knowledge of the through inner reflection eternal forms | responsibility of the reason to organize, control and Rene Descartes reestablish harmonious relationship “Cogito Ergo Sum” - I think therefore, I Aristotle am Hylomorphism - the self is a unity of “In order to gain true knowledge, one body (matter) and the soul (form). must doubt everything even own The soul is the essence that gives existence” life to the body. Father/Founder of Modern The Soul’s Functions: Different Philosophy aspects of the soul are responsible The self is a thinking entity. The for various functions, such as existence of the self is confirmed nutrition (plants), sensations through the act of thinking (animals), and rational thought Dualism: The self (Mind) is distinct (human) from the body. THe mind is 3 Kinds of Soul non-material, capable of thought, ○ Vegetative: growth, while body is material and occupies reproduction, nourishment space [Plants+Animals] 2 Dimensions of the Human Self ○ Sentient (Sensitive): feelings, ○ Conscious/Thinking Self: part movements, senses of the spirit realm [Animals+Humans] ○ Physical self: part of nature ○ Rational: reasoning, thinking, Skepticism: Descartes doubted understanding [Unique to everything that could be doubted, Human] leaving the self as the only certain Eudaimonia (Flourishing) - the self’s being purpose is to achieve a fulfilling life John Locke through virtuous actions and reasons  Tabula Rasa - The self begins as a Noumenal Self: The self as it exist in blank state, written upon by itself, beyond sensory experience experiences Sigmund Freud Empiricism - The self is a conscious, “Self is conscious and unconscious” thinking entity formed by experience. “Behaviors are driven by 2 instincts: life There is no innate self, it is shaped and death” by sensory experiences Psychoanalytic theory: Self is Personal Identity - The self’s identity structured into 3 parts is tied to memory and continuity of ○ Id: Unconscious source of consciousness, not the substance of instinctual drives and desires the soul or body ○ Ego: Rational part that David Hume mediates between the id, “Human created an imaginary creature reality and the superego which is not real” ○ Superego: the internalized “All knowledge is derived from human moral standards and ideals senses” Unconscious motivation: much of the Bundle Theory - the self is not a self is driven by unconscious desires single, permanent entity but a and conflicts collection of changing perceptions Gilbert Ryle and experiences “The self is not an entity one can locate” We have no direct experience of “You are how you act” constant self, only of fleeting Critique of Cartesian Dualism, thoughts, emotions and sensations calling it “ghost of the machine” The idea of permanent self is a Behaviorism: the self is not an mental construct not an actual entity internal hidden entity but is 2 Distinct Entities observable in our behaviors and ○ Impression: basic sensations actions of people’s experience Category mistake: the idea of a ○ Ideas: thoughts and images separate self is a misunderstanding. from impressions, less lively The self is simple the sum of one’s and vivid behavior Immanuel Kant Paul Churchland “Self is the product of reason” “Self is product of brain activity” Transcendental Self - the self is not Eliminative Materialism: traditional an object of experience but the concepts like beliefs, desires and the condition that makes experience self are outdated. possible The self is better understood as a Unity of Consciousness: The self series of brain states and unifies and organizes sensory neurological processes. experiences into coherent The self is a construct of the brain, knowledge without any heed for dualistic or Dual Aspect: folk-psychological explanations Phenomenal Self: The self is Rejection of Folk Psychology - experienced in the world concepts like “Self” are not  scientifically valid and should be There are 3 components replaced with neurobiological terms ○ Imagination of Appearance: Maurice Merleau-Ponty how we think we appear to “The mind and body cannot be others separated” ○ Imagination of Judgement: The self is not detached mind but is how we think others judge always embodied. The body is that appearance central to how we perceive and ○ Self-feeling: our emotional engage with the world response to perceived The self is defined by its interaction judgment (e.g. pride or with the world, through the body shame) perception and action are key to George Herbert Mead understanding the self “Theory of Social Self” The self and the world are Social Self - the self emerges from intertwined; the self is always “in the social interactions and world” shaping and being by it communications Mead’s Key Ideas “I” vs “Me” SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE ○ I - Spontaneous SELF unpredictable part of the self (kung sino ka talaga) “Understanding of the self only arises in ○ Me - the socialized reflective relationships, in watching yourself in aspect that conforms to relationship to people, ideas and things; to societal expectation (sino bet trees, the earth, and the world around you mo maging based on society) and within you. Relationship is the mirror in Role taking: We learn to see which the self is revealed. Without ourselves from the perspective of self-knowledge there is no basis for right others thought and action” Self is developed due to three forms - Jiddu Krishnamurti of inter-subjective activity: language, play, and game Sociology: scientific study of social groups Stages of Self-Formation and human relationships that generates ○ Preparatory Stage (early new insights into the interconnectedness childhood | 0-3y.o) - between the self and the others behaviors are primarily Sociological approach: studies how social based on imitation environments influence individual behavior ○ Play Stage (3-5y.o) - begin and self-perception role-playing and pretend to Core Concept: The self is shaped by social be other people norms, values, roles and relationships ○ Game Stage (early school years | 8-9y.o) - children Charles Horton Cooley understands multiple roles “Looking Glass Self: and the concept of the The self is shaped by how we think “generalized other” others perceive us  product of our collective interchanges.. We SELF AS PRODUCT OF MODERN AND are each molecule in the helix of human POST MODERN SOCIETY consciousness joined in a physical world. We form a coil of connective tissues Gerry Lanuza soldered together by cultural links. - Kilroy J [Modern] Oldster Self is shaped by the stable institutions like family, education, and work Anthropology People have more fixed identity tied Scientific study of human, human to their social roles behavior, and societies in the past [Post Modern] and present The self becomes more fluid and Focuses on cultural social and fragmented physical aspects of life Hyper Consumerism and media In understanding the self; explores contribution to identity formation how culture influences the formation Greater freedom but also instability of self-concept, identity and behavior in defining oneself Cultural influence: the self is shaped Jean Baudrillard by the values, norms and practices Hyperreality: the self is influenced by of one's culture simulated realities (e.g. media, Anthropologists study self in the technology, advertisement) that blur context of social interactions, rituals the line between real and fake and institutions Consumer Society: Identity is constructed through consumptions Ethnographic Investigations of symbol and signs, not through Ethnography: A qualitative research deep personal experiences method used to study cultures and their impact on people’s behavior (Immersing oneself) Anthropological Conceptualization of the Cultural variations: affect mental Self states, language, and behavioral Anthropology - ancient artifacts/ruins expressions understanding human beings. How we lived Ethnographic studies provide insight or what we used to believe into how different societies conceptualize the self Self is seen as fluid and dynamic being Example: emotional expressions and shaped by the environment. How self is mental health can vary significantly seen in anthropology across cultures We are each a product of biological Edward Taylor: What is Culture? endowments, culture, and personal Culture: “That complex whole history.Culture, ideology, and cultural events includes knowledge, belief, art, along with transmitted cultural practices morals, laws, customs, and any influence each of us. We are each the other capabilities and habits  acquired by man as a member of a society. Culture not behavior itself, but the shared understandings that guide behavior These shared understandings are expressed in behavior, but culture is the underlying system that informs how individuals act Martin Sokefeld Emphasizes that the self is a universal human feature found across all cultures However, they way the self is perceived and expressed is shaped by cultural norms The self is both an individual experience and a social construct, influenced by the values and practices of the community. Social Anthropology: Ethnic Identity and the Self Social anthropology often discusses the concept of identity within the context of ethnic identity Ethnic identity: Emphasizes sameness of the self with others in the same ethnic or cultural group According to Peacock (1986): The individual is not a robot nor entirely independent but exists within the framework of cultural expectations ○ The cultural individual navigates freedom within these expectations, balancing personal and collective identity.