Philosophical Perspective of Self PDF

Philosophical View of Self  01 Socrates Socrates’ point of view on the Self Socrates Socrates was concerned with the problem of SELF  DUALISM Dualism holds that reality Socrates or existence is divided into...

Philosophical View of Self  01 Socrates Socrates’ point of view on the Self Socrates Socrates was concerned with the problem of SELF  DUALISM Dualism holds that reality Socrates or existence is divided into two parts. These two parts are often identified as the body and the soul.  DUALISM Socrates “Every man is composed of body and soul”  SOUL SOUL (Socrates) (Christianity) Something like an “entity” “An unexamined life is not worth living” - Socrates “All I know is I know nothing” - Socrates  “All I know is I know nothing” The more we know, the less we know The more that we know, the more questions we have.  “All I know is I know nothing” The only way for us to answer the questions, we must keep ASKING  There is already a “Soul” before the body, it exists in the realm of ideas. SOUL Full of Wisdom Smart  SOUL Comes into material world The soul forgot everything We can still connect to our past self which is the “Soul before” by examining life through asking questions. SOCRATIC METHOD DUALISM IDEAL WORLD (World of Forms) MATERIAL WORLD  “The world (Material World) we are right now is not the real world but it is just a replica of real world”  “The world (Material World) we are right now is not the real world but it is just a replica of real world” Theory of Form  SOUL The soul, according to Plato, is the true essence of a person and exists in three parts. COMPONENTS OF SOUL Rational Soul Spirited Soul Appetitive Soul  RATIONAL SOUL Is responsible for reasoning, thinking, and seeking truth. Is the part of the soul that contemplates what is best and makes decisions based on wisdom and logic.  ROLE The rational part should govern the other parts of the soul, ensuring that desires and emotions are kept in check by reason  SPIRITED SOUL Is the source of emotions, particularly those related to encourage, ambitions, and sense of honor. It drives a person to take action, defend their beliefs, and uphold justice.  ROLE The spirited part acts as an ally to the rational part, helping to enforce its decisions and ensuring that the appetitive part does not dominate.  APPETITIVE SOUL Is responsible for basic desires and physical needs, such as hunger, thirst, and sexual urges. It seeks pleasure and material satisfaction  ROLE The appetitive part is the most numerous and potentially unruly part of the soul. It must be regulated by the rational part, with support from the spirited part, to avoid leading the soul into in to indulgence and vices. DUALISM “BODY & SOUL ARE ONE”  “SOUL CANNOT EXIST APART FROM THE BODY”  The soul is the essence of living. Thus, the soul is the essence of the self He believes that the soul is a merely set of defining features.  KINDS OF SOULS VEGETATIVE SOUL SENSITIVE SOUL RATIONAL SOUL  VEGETATIVE SOUL It is responsible for the basic function of life such as nutrition, growth, and reproduction. Example: Plants and Trees  SENSITIVE / SENTIENT SOUL It includes all the functions of the vegetative soul but adds the abilities of perception, sensation, and movement. Example: Animals  RATIONAL SOUL It encompasses all the functions of the vegetative and sensitive souls but adds the capacity for rational thought and intellectual activities. The rational soul allows humans to reason, reflect, make decision based on abstract concepts and engage in moral and ethical thinking “MAN IS A RATIONAL ANIMAL”  MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHERS M E D I E V A L  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO St. Augustine also believes in Dualism Influenced by the ideas of Socrates & Plato  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO He developed a more unified perspective of body and soul Soul is what governs and defines the human person or the self ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO Augustine described that humankind is created in the image and likeness of God.  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO He believed that everything created by God is good, who is all good, is good.  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO The soul is created by God Man is created by God and God is good Therefore, Man is also good. ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO KNOWING GOD, IS ALSO KNOWING ONESELF. ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO HOW? ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO KNOWING GOD, IS KNOWING ONESELF. KNOWING ONESELF IS ALSO KNOWING GOD.  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO INTROSPECTION ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO LOOKING BACK IN OUR MEMORIES AND EXPERIENCES  ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO THE MORE ONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR OWN MIND AND SOUL, THE CLOSER THEY COME TO UNDERSTANDING GOD, AS THE SOUL REFLECTS THE DIVINE. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Influenced by the idea of Aristotle  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS Every person is made up of two important parts, which are the body and the soul  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS The soul is not merely trapped in the body but it is what makes the body a living human being.  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS REASON AND INTELLIGENCE One of the most special things about humans is the ability to think and reason.  ST. THOMAS AQUINAS PURPOSE Aquinas believed that everyone has a purpose, and finding that purpose helps us understand who we truly are.  MODERN PHILOSOPHERS MODERN PHILOSOPHERS Rene Descartes MODERN PHILOSOPHERS John Locke MODERN PHILOSOPHERS David Hume MODERN PHILOSOPHERS Immanuel Kant Rene Descartes French Philosopher, Mathematician and Scientist FATHER OF MODERN PHILOSOPHY  THOUGHT EXPERIMENT APPLE BASKET  THOUGHT EXPERIMENT 5 MINUTES UNIVERSE  When I doubt, I cannot doubt, That I doubt, Therefore, there is I for doubting THINKING THING  I THINK, THEREFORE, I AM DESCARTES – Mind and Body There are 2 types of dimensions of self: Physical Body Thinking Self (Soul)  PHYSICAL BODY Is the material, mortal, non-thinking entity, fully governed by the physical law of nature  THINKING SELF Is the nonmaterial, immortal, conscious being, and independent of the physical laws of the universe  The self as a thinking entity is distinct from the self as a physical body. In other words, the thinking self can exist independently of the physical body IF A PERSON WILL UNDERGO A HEAD TRANSPLANT SURGERY. THEN WHO IS THAT PERSON? IS IT THE PERSON THAT OWNS THE BODY? OR THE PERSON WHO OWNS THE HEAD? JOHN LOCKE English Philosopher and Physician FATHER OF LIBERALISM  JOHN LOCKE TABULA RASA (BLANK SLATE)  TABULA RASA One of the most special things about humans is the ability to think and reason.  TABULA RASA Personal identity is constructed primarily from sense experiences. Self-conscious is necessary to have a coherent personal (self) identity or knowledge of the self as a person.  TABULA RASA The Self is a collection of memories organized by our consciousness. EMPIRICISM (EMPERICAL SENSES)  DAVID HUME Scottish Philosopher, Historian, and Economist DAVID HUME THERE IS NO SELF!  THERE IS NO SELF! What people experience is just a bundle or collection of different perceptions, impressions, sensations, ideas, thoughts, and images.  THERE IS NO SELF! There is no past nor future, only the present stimulation provided by the environment.  THERE IS NO SELF! THE IDEA OF PERSONAL IDENTITY IS A RESULT OF IMAGINATION  IMMANUEL KANT German Philosopher WE CONSTRUCT THE SELF! It is the self that makes experiencing an intelligible world possible because it is the self that is actively organizing and synthesizing all our thoughts and perceptions. WE CONSTRUCT THE SELF! Kant distinguishes between two aspects of the self: Phenomenal Self (External Self) Noumental Self (Internal Self) PHENOMENAL SELF (EXTERNAL) It is the self as it appears in the world of experience. Events, Situations, and Happenings outside our control  NOUMENAL SELF (INTERNAL) Refers to the self as it is in itself, independent of experience. Thoughts, Feelings…. PHENOMENAL SELF (EXTERNAL) NOUMENAL SELF (INTERNAL) SELF  SELF In other words, the self constructs its own reality creating a world that is familiar and predictable.  IMMANUEL KANT HIS IDEA IS A COMBINATION OF RATIONALISM AND EMPIRICISM