The Self from the Perspective of Philosophy_20240922_184152_0000.pdf

Characteristics of Plato’s Forms THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE 1. The forms are ageless and therefore are eternal. OF PHILOSOPHY...

Characteristics of Plato’s Forms THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE 1. The forms are ageless and therefore are eternal. OF PHILOSOPHY 2. The forms are unchanging and therefore permanent. 3. The forms are unmoving and indivisible. Socrates – The self is the soul. Plato’s Dualism (Two Realms) A stonemason with a sharp mind, Socrates wanted to discover the essential nature of knowledge, 1. The Realm of the Shadows is composed of justice, beauty and goodness. However, Socrates changing, ‘sensible’ things which are lesser did not write anything, he was not a writer. A lot of entities and therefore imperfect and flawed his thoughts were only known through Plato’s 2. The Realm of Forms is composed of eternal writing (The Dialogues). It was through Plato things which are permanent and perfect. It is the where it was learned that Socrates was a brilliant source of all reality and true knowledge. debater and was idolized by many Athenians. This Plato’s View of Human Nature angered the Sophists (people skilled in settling arguments by discussion and debate) who Plato believed that knowledge lies within the brought him to trial, and where finally sentenced person’s soul. He considered human beings as to death because of impiety. microcosms of the universal macrocosm i.e. everything in the universe can also be found in The Socratic Method people - earth, air, fire, water, mind and spirit. Even if the materials of the human body and the Socrates’ method for discovering what is essential in physical world are imperfect, humans have the the world and in people is what is know as the immortal, rational soul which Plato believed is Socratic/Dialectic Method. This method involves the created in the image of the Divine. search for the correct/proper definition of a thing. The result is a definition that cannot be refuted The Chariot Analogy (Three components anymore by Socratic reasoning. In this method, Socrates did not lecture, he instead would ask of the soul): questions and engage the person in discussion. 1. The Reason – is rational and is the motivation for goodness and truth. Socrates’ View of Human Nature 2. The Spirited – in non-rational and is the will or “The unexamined life is not worth living.” the drive toward action. This part of the soul is initially neutral but can be influenced/pulled in The Socratic Method helped Socrates to question two directions. people’s beliefs and ideas, exposing their 3. The Appetites – are irrational and lean towards misconceptions and get them to touch their souls. The touching of the soul, may mean helping the the desire for pleasures of the body. person to get in touch with his true self. The true self, Socrates said, is not the body but the soul. Reason seeks the true goal of man which is to see Virtue is inner goodness and real beauty is that of things in their true nature. Usually however, the the soul. Spirited and the Appetites want worldy pleasures and can influence reason by making it believe that Most important in knowledge: “How to live right and sensual pleasures are the source of happiness. how to make their soul good.” Plato believed that people are intrinsically good. According to Socrates, real understanding comes Sometimes, however, judgements are made in from within the person. ignorance and Plato equates ignorance with evil. The aim of Socratic Method is to make people think, seek and ask again and again. Some may be Plato postulated that love is the way by which a angered and frustrated, but what is important is person can move from a state of imperfect for them to realize that they do not know knowledge and ignorance to a state of perfection everything, that there are things that they are and true knowledge. ignorant of, to accept this and to continue Love is the force that paves the way for all beings to learning and searching for answers. ascend to higher stages of self-realization and Plato (Aristocles) – the Self is the Soul perfection. Love is the way of knowing and realizing the Theory of Forms – Plato’s metaphysics truth. Love is the process of seeking higher stages of being. The greater the love, the more intellectual - philosophical study on the causes and nature of component it will contain. Lifelong longing and pursuit things seek even higher stages of love which lead to the - forms refers to what is real; they are not objects that possession of absolute beauty. It is this pursuit that are encountered with the senses but can only be motivates man and transforms people and societies. To grasped intellectually. love the highest according to Plato is to become the best. St. Augustine of Hippo – the Self is the Soul The Mind-Body Problem St. Augustine’s Two Realms: Descartes believed that all bodily processes are 1. God is the source of all reality and truth. mechanical. The body is like a machine that is Without God as the source of all truth, man can controlled by the will and aided by the mind. never understand eternal truths. So God is within John Locke – Personal Identity is man and transcends him. This relationship with God means that those who know most about God made possible by self-consciousness will come closest to understanding the true Locke believed that knowledge results from ideas nature of the world. produced a posteriori or by objects that were 2. The sinfulness of man. The cause of sin or evil is experienced. The process involves two forms: an act of man’s freewill. Evil, therefore does not live in God’s creatures but rather in man. Moral 1. Sensation – objects are experienced through goodness can only be achieved through the grace the senses of God. 2. Reflection- mind ‘looks’ at the objects that were experienced to discover relationships that may The Role of Love: exist between them. 1.Love of physical objects leads to the sin of greed. Locke contended that ideas are not innate but 2. Love for other people is not lasting and excessive rather the mind at birth is a ‘tabula rasa’ (blank love for them is the sin of jealousy. slate or blank sheet of paper that we fill up our 3. Love for the self leads to the sin of pride. experiences). Locke stated that “nothing exists in 4. Love for God is the supreme virtue and only the mind that was not first in the senses.” What through loving God can man find real happiness. the senses have experienced are simple ideas All things are worthy of love but they must be loved which are the raw materials from which properly. St. Augustine contends that if man loves knowledge begins. Ideas can also be the result of God first and everything else to a lesser degree then reflection which demonstrates the power of all will fall into its rightful place. thinking and volition or will. Through these mental Rene Descartes – the Self is a Thinking powers, simple ideas are repeated and compared to became complex ideas. Thing Locke’s View of Human Nature Descartes System – through Math, Descartes Morality has something to do with choosing or discovered that the human minds has two willing to do good. Moral good depends on powers: conformity or non-conformity of a person’s 1. Intuition – ability to apprehend direction of behavior towards some law: certain truths 1. Law of Opinion – where actions that are praiseworthy 2.Deduction – power to discover what is not are called virtues and those that are not are called vice. known by progressing in an orderly way from what 2.Civil Law – where right actions are enforced by is already known. Truths are arrived at using a people in authority like courts and police. step by step process. 3. Divine Law – set by God on the actions of man. This is deemed to be the true law for human behavior. The Reasoning could produce absolute truths about divine law is eternally true and the one law that man nature, existence, morality and God. The truths should always follow. that can be discovered are a priori. Ideas David Hume – There is ‘no self’, only a bundle of discovered this way do not rely on some constantly changing perceptions passing through experiences because they are innate in the human the theater of our minds. mind. Descartes also believed that philosophy should progress from simple ideas to complex THE HUMAN MIND ideas. This would make possible the formation of The mind receives materials from the senses and new insights. calls it perceptions. There are two types of Descartes’ View of Human Nature perceptions: “I think, therefore I am.” (Cogito, ergo sum) 1. Impressions – immediate sensations of external reality. These are more vivid that the ideas it To doubt is to think. A thinker is a thing that produces. doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, 2. Ideas – recollections of these impressions refuses and that also imagines and feels. These two together make up the content of the human The cognitive aspect of human nature is the basis mind. It all begins with impressions. Without for existence of the self. impressions, there will be no formation of ideas. The imagination has the ability to connect two ideas to form a complex idea.  The third and most significant region is the Three Principles on how ideas relate to one unconscious. Here lie the processes that are the another: real cause of most behavior. Like an iceberg, the most important part of the mind is the part you 1.Principle of Resemblance - looking alike; cannot see. The unconscious mind acts as a resembles with something repository, a ‘cauldron’ of primitive wishes and 2.Principle of Contiguity in Time and Place impulse kept at bay and mediated by the 3. Principle of Causation (Cause and Effect) – arise preconscious area. only when people experience certain relations between objects thus it cannot be a basis for Three Levels of the Mind: knowledge. Freud assumed the id operated at an unconscious level according to the pleasure principle Hume’s View of Human Nature (gratification from satisfying basic instincts). The id comprises two kinds of biological instincts (or Hume believed that the self is also a product of the drives) which Freud called Eros and Thanatos. imagination. He also stated that there is no such Eros, or life instinct, helps the individual to thing as “personal identity’ behind perceptions and survive; it directs life-sustaining activities such as feelings that come and go. For Hume, there is no respiration, eating, and sex (Freud, 1925). The permanent/unchanging self. energy created by the life instincts is known as Immanuel Kant libido. In contrast, Thanatos or death instinct, is viewed as a set of destructive forces present in all The self is a unifying subject, an organizing human beings (Freud, 1920). When this energy is consciousness that makes intelligible experience directed outward onto others, it is expressed as possible. aggression and violence. Freud believed that Eros Kant’s Views of the Mind is stronger than Thanatos, thus enabling people to survive rather than self-destruct. According to Kant, the mind is not just a passive receiver of sense experience but rather actively The ego develops from the id during infancy. The participates in knowing the objects it experiences. ego's goal is to satisfy the demands of the id in a Instead of the mind conforming to the world, it is safe a socially acceptable way. In contrast to the the external world that conforms to the mind. id, the ego follows the reality principle as it Instead of disregarding the philosophies of operates in both the conscious and unconscious Rationalism and Empiricism (seeing that both are mind. valid but lacking) he combined them and defined The superego develops during early childhood (when knowledge as a result of human understanding the child identifies with the same sex parent) and is applied to sense experience. responsible for ensuring moral standards are followed. The superego operates on the morality principle and Kant’s View of Human Nature motivates us to behave in a socially responsible and acceptable manner. Transcendental Apperception – experience of the self and its unity with object. People do not experience the self directly but as a unity of all Freud’s View of Human Nature impressions that are organized by the mind through perceptions. The true nature of things is Freud’s psychoanalysis sees man as a product of altogether unknown and unknowable. his past lodged within his subconscious. Man’s behavior by his pleasure seeking life instinct and In the matter of God, Kant stated that the his destructive death instinct is said to be born kingdom of God is within man. God is manifested with his ego already in conflict. Man then lives his in people’s lives therefore, it is man’s duty to life balancing the forces of life and death – move towards perfection. People should always opposing forces that make mere existence a see duty as a divine command. challenge. Sigmund Freud – The Self is Multi-layered Gilbert Ryle – the Self is the Way Structures of the Mind (Topography of the Mind) People Behave On the surface is consciousness, which consists of those thoughts that are the focus of our attention now, and this is seen as the tip of the iceberg. Philosophical thought also mentioned that man is endowed with freewill. But Ryle thought that The preconscious consists of all which can be freewill was invented to answer the question of retrieved from memory. whether an action deserves praise or blame. Ryle agrees with Kant who stated that freewill involves a moral responsibility which further assumes that man’s actions must be moral for it to be free.  Two Types of Knowledge Stages a person undergoes in the course of development: 1.Knowing-That – knowing facts/information; 1. Preparatory Stage – The self did not exist at empty intellectualism birth; the self develops overtime. 2. Knowing-How – using facts in the performance -Children’s behavior are primarily based on of some skill or technical abilities. imitation. A person may acquire a great bulk of knowledge but -As children grow, they become familiar with the without the ability to use it to solve some practical symbols (verbal and non- verbal) that people use problems to make his life easier, this bulk of in their interactions. The symbols are important knowledge is deemed to be worthless. Knowing for this will constitute their way of involves an ability and not just an intellect. communicating with others throughout their Patricia and Paul Churchland lives. 2. The Play Stage – at this stage, skills at knowing The Self is the Brain. Mental states will be superseded by brain states. and understanding the symbols of “There isn’t a special thing called the mind. The communication is important for this constitutes mind just is the brain.” – Patricia Churchland the basis for socialization. Contentions that are forwarded by - Now children begin to role play and pretend to neurophilosophy resulted from cases where be other people. individual’s deviant thought, feelings and actions - Role-taking in the play stage according Mead is are stemmed from anomalies/aberrations in the the process of mentally assuming the perspective brain’s anatomy and physiology. It seems that of another person to see how this person might what and who the person is i.e. how he makes behave or respond in a given situation. decisions, controls impulses and how he sees 3. The Game Stage – about eight to nine years old himself is largely determined by his neurons, The child begins to consider several tasks and hormones and over-all genetic make-up. various types of relationships simultaneously. Through the learnings that were gained in stage 2, These data provide information on how normal the child now begins to see not only his own brain functioning facilitates accepted social perspective of others around him. behavior and how a compromised brain gives rise to aberrant behavior patterns. 4. Generalized other – behavior of the person when he sees/considers other people in the Maurice Merleau-Ponty- course of his actions. Through the generalized The Self is Embodied Subjectivity other, the person realizes that people in society “The human body is the primary site of knowing have cultural norms, beliefs and values which are the world.” incorporated into each self. Merleau-Ponty developed the concept of body- Mead’s Theory of the Self subject and contended that perceptions occur existentially. Thus, the consciousness, the world, Children see themselves as the center of their and the human body are all interconnected as universe and is having difficulty understanding they mutually perceive the world. The world and others around them. They begin to see other the sense of self are emergent phenomena in the people and is now concerned about people’s ongoing process of man’s ‘becoming’. reactions. The self is composed of two parts: The “I” and “Me” THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIOLOGY I self – when the person initiates or performs a social action, the self functions as a subject. This SOCIOLOGY subjective element of the self is the I. - Aims to discover the ways by which the social Examples: surrounding/environment influences people’s I will go on a date. thoughts, feelings and behavior. I will cook dinner tonight. George Herbert Mead Me self – when the person takes the role of the Social Behaviorism – approach to describe the other, the self functions as an object. The power of the environment in shaping human objective element of the self is the Me. behavior. Examples: The choice for the best drawing was awarded to The self is a dimension of personality that is me. made-up of the individual’s self-awareness and Students around school voted for me. self-image. The self cannot be separated from the society.  Charles Horton Cooley THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ANTHROPOLOGY Socio-psychological approach – to understand how societies work. Anthropology – the study of man that focuses on the totality of what it means to be human People learn who they are through their social interaction with other people. Although seeing -looks into man’s physical/biological oneself is based on contemplating one’s personal characteristics, his social relationships and the qualities, the view of the self is also significantly influences of his culture from the dawn of influenced by the impression and perception of civilization up to the present others. It is called looking-glass self or the self that is What man is now is a product of his past. a product of social interaction. Human beings are similar and very different at the same time. Three phases of developing a self Similarities and diversities among people is what 1. People imagine how they present themselves to makes life so interesting. others. As one learns the facts/information that make him Example: similar to the next person, he will also know the You dress-up elegantly for the prom. different characteristics that sets him apart. This You greet your teachers politely in the school’s knowledge aims to further highlight the beauty hallway. and uniqueness of each person thus making him value his life and existence even more. 2. People imagine how others evaluate them. Example: Fields of Anthropology Others will see you as pretty and attractive by the 1.Archaeology way you fix yourself. 2. Biological Anthropology Others will see you as courteous and well-bred. 3.Linguistics 3. People develop some sort of feeling about 4.Cultural Anthropology themselves as a result of those impressions. Example: Archaeology You may see yourself as confident or inferior. – study of artifacts (tools and objects past people have made) in order to discover how these people Cooley used the word imagine because there is a lived their lives possibility that people develop self-identities - discovery of unique ways in which human beings based on the wrong perceptions of how others see adapted to changes in their environment in order them. Wrong perceptions, however, can still for them to survive change based on the positive social experiences. I am not what I think I am Survival I am not what You think I am – most important aspect of human nature Iam what I think You think I am. People have struggled to survive, human behavior continues to adapt in order to survive. In Erving Goffman this aspect, human beings are similar. The manner Impression Management – process of altering how that they choose to survive differs. Some men will the person presents himself to others use power and strength, declare wars, conquer and even try to annihilate races, while others - people early in their social interactions learned would offer their services, knowledge, resources to slant their presentation of themselves in order and even their lives just to ensure that a few to create preferred appearances and satisfy deserving human beings would survive. particular people. Biological Anthropology Dramaturgical approach – similarities of real social interaction to a theatrical presentation – focus primarily on how human body adapts to the different earth environments. Face-work – face-saving measures are resorted to -look at the probable causes of disease, physical in the maintenance of a proper image of the self in mutation and death frustrating or embarrassing situations. -study about the evolution of human beings from their early forms (based on discovered fossilized In summary, the discussions and observations of remains) the sociologists in this discussion represented a - do comparative studies on human beings both progression on how the self has developed dead and living and other primates through the process of socialization to how the Human beings still share the same biological person manages self-presentation in order for him strengths and vulnerabilities. to be accepted by others.  Linguistic Anthropology Negative – focuses on the language as a means to discover a group’s manner of social interaction and his – people have no control over what they learn. worldview - discovers how language is used to create and share - They blindly accept the learning their culture meanings, to form ideas and concepts and to expose them to. Human beings are seen as promote social change helpless and do only what their culture instructs - study how language and modes of communication them to do. change over time Ways in which culture may manifest English itself in people: – universal language 1. Symbols – words, gestures pictures or objects Human survival is primary linked to their ability that have a recognized/accepted meaning in a to communicate. This is another capability that particular culture resulted from big human brains. The brain comes 2. Heroes – persons from the past or present who equipped with specialized areas specifically for have characteristics that are important in a the purpose of communication. In addition, an culture. They may be real or fictitious. essential part of human communication is 3. Rituals – activities (maybe religious or social) language. participated in by a group of people for the fulfilment of desired objectives and are Language identifies a group of people. The words, considered to be socially essential. sounds, symbols, writings and signs that are used 4.Values – is considered to be the core of every are reflections of a group’s culture. culture. These are unconscious and can neither be Language adapts to the existing conditions in the discussed nor be directly observed but can only society. be inferred from the way people act and react to circumstances and situations. Values involve As societies change and technologies develop so human tendencies/preferences towards good or do the symbols and meaning people attach to bad, right or wrong. objects and events as expressed through the language that they use and their manner of THE SELF FROM THE communicating. PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOLOGY Cultural Anthropology Psychology – knowing what makes one group’s manner of living particular to that group and forms an – deals with the description, explanation, essential part of the member’s personal and prediction and control of behavior social identity. - believes that the world of material things Culture including people exists independently of the – knowing what makes one group’s manner of perceiving human mind living particular to that group and forms an essential part of the member’s personal and Nature-Nurture Controversy social identity. Experts in the field of human behavior have sought for ways to best explain the causes of Theory of Cultural Determinism human behavior only to discover that both nature – the contention that culture has a strong impact and nurture influence behavior, each one to a on how the individual views himself greater or lesser degree. -There is no universal or right way of being human. William James The right way always based on one’s culture. Five characteristics of thoughts: Positive 1. All human thoughts are owned by some personal self. – human beings can be shaped/formed to have 2. All thoughts are constantly changing or are never the kind of life they prefer. static. - There is no limit placed on the human ability to 3.There is a continuity of thoughts as its focus shifts be or to do whatever they set their minds and from one object to another. hearts into. 4. Thoughts deal with objects that are different from and independent of consciousness itself. 5.Consciousness can focus on particular objects and not others.  The “Me” and the “I” Differentiated Self – has the ability to separate feelings and thoughts. The person recognizes that The self is made up of two parts: the Me self and the he has his own personality and therefore I self. The Me self can be considered as a separate endowed with unique characteristics not found in object or individual that the person refers to when other members of the group. With this knowledge discussing or describing their personal experiences. he realizes that for him to attain self-fulfillment, Example: he should have the will to separate himself from The gifts were sent to me. the group, give his own life and fulfill his destiny. The person is smiling at me. Being able to free himself from the influence of The I self is the self that knows and recognizes who others allows him to define himself. they are and what they have done. Example: Two forces affecting the person: I borrowed the book from the library. I won the game. a. Togetherness – too much togetherness creates friction and conflict and prevents the James called the ME self as the empirical ME and development of the person’s sense of self the I self the Pure Ego or the thinking self. b. Individuality – too much individuality results in distant and estrange feelings towards family and The ME self is further divided into other people three components namely: Real and Ideal Self-Concepts 1. The Material Self consists of the things or Self-concept – refers to how a person thinks objects that belong to the person or entities that about or perceives himself a person belongs to. Examples:person’s body, Real Self-Concept – refers to all information and family, clothes, books, money. perception the person has about himself. This is 2.The Social Self refers to who the person is in a who actually is and answers the question “Who particular social situation. Changes in behavior am I?” usually result from the different social situations the person finds himself in. James believed that Ideal Self-Concept – is the model version the people have many social selves because of the person has of himself. This idealized view was many social situations they find themselves in. borne out of his experiences, standards and 3. The Spiritual Self refers to the self that is more demands of society and the heroes and models concrete or permanents when compared to the which he chooses to imitate. The ideal self is what material and social selves. This self is the most the person aims for himself to be. It answers the subjective and intimate part of the self. It question of who he wants to become or “Who do I includes aspects like the individual’s personality, want to be?” values and morals that are usually stable and Congruence – the sameness or equality between constant. The spiritual self is always engaging in the real self and the ideal self in order for the the process of introspection (self-observation). person to be happy and satisfied with his life. If This is a method that includes reflecting or the real self is very different from the ideal self looking inward to study and understand the how the person will experience dissatisfaction and and why of the self. may see himself as a failure or a loser (self- discrepancy). The Other Selves in Psychology: Multiple and Unified Self Global and Differentiated Self Models Real and Ideal Self-Concepts Multiple and Unified Selves Multiple Selves Theory – suggests that there exits True and False Selves in the individual different aspects of the self. It The Self as Proactive and Agentic makes sense that the self is a whole made up of parts. These parts of the self may manifest Global and Differentiated Self themselves when situations call for it. Models A unified being is essentially connected to consciousness, awareness and agency. To be Global Self – represents the overall value that a person places upon himself. This affects how he views considered a well-adjusted person, success and and feels about himself. It is inevitable for a person to failures should be accepted and understood. This be born and to grow up in the presence of the people. is a person who is able to deal with and accept the The groups of people that he interacts with everyday complexities and the perceived unfairness that of his life strongly influence him. He turns to them for exist in life. They manifest content with the support and seeks their approval in the journey of present state of affairs and continue to adjust, finding himself. His global self is the product of all adapt, evolve and survive as an individual with an experiences that he had in the society which accounts integrated, unified multiple selves. for the kind of person he presently is.  True and False Selves Self-Regulation- Allows the person to set goals True Self – the self is seen as creative, that are better and higher than the former, spontaneously experiencing each day of their lives , challenging his capabilities and making him a appreciating being alive, real, integrated and wiser and self-actualized individual. connected to the whole of existence. It is further characterized by the high level of awareness in the THE SELF IN WESTERN AND person of who he is, what he is capable of and is not afraid to let others know his weaknesses and EASTERN THOUGHT imperfections. The true self is the individual who recognizes his strengths and accepts his limitations, enjoys wining and success and learns from mistakes Individualistic and Collective Self and failures. Never afraid to try all over again. False Self – a form of defense. It lacks spontaneity, is Individualistic Self dead and empty. It is the mask that hides the true person for fear of the pain of rejection and failure. - Being aware that he is not alone and that he False selves usually surface when the person is exists with others in society but still he sees forced to comply with existing social norms and himself as being capable of living his own life, standards. At times, false selves enable the person doing the things that he would love to do, making to form superficial but productive social his own mistakes and learning from his relationships. experiences. -This is the individual who is aware of his rights The Self as Proactive and Agentic and the limitations of his freedom in the extant The person has the capacity to exercise control society. He sets goals and work hard to achieve over his life. them. He knows that he is the one who will suffer the most if he wastes his chance to live a life that he and his family can be proud of. The Social Cognitive Theory -Something that will define him and inspire others – suggested that human beings are proactive, self- that being in the world meant making it better not regulating, self-reflective and self-organizing. only for himself but also for others. Thus, his People have the ability to influence their own legacy. behavior which may lead to desired outcomes. There are many cultures particularly in the West Features of Human Agency that encourages individualism. The development of an individualistic self begins right after birth 1. Intentionality and is observed in the child-rearing practices of – actions performed by the person intentionally or the parents in the West. Independence and self- with full awareness of his behavior. This feature reliance for the development of the self in involves planning with awareness of the possible Western cultures. In the Unites States, for consequences of actions. instance, off-springs who reach the age of 2. Forethought eighteen years are expected to move out of the – refers to the person’s anticipation of likely house, support himself and make his own outcomes of his behavior. This allows him to select decisions. Though family is important, individual from a repertoire of behaviors and determine freedom and the ability to stand on his own is which one will most likely lead to a positive outcome. expected. 3. Self-reactiveness – refers to the process in which the person is Collective Self motivated and regulates his behavior as he observes his progress in achieving his goals. The goals that the person wants to reach should be -The identity of the individual is lost and does not clear and specific and within his ability to achieve. exist except as a part of the group. The family and The person should be realistic, aware of his the society control how group members should potentials and capabilities to fulfill his goals. think, act and generally conduct themselves in 4. Self-reflectiveness society. – refers to the person looking inward and -It is observed that strong bonds of unity are evaluating his motivations, values, life goals and formed and developed in collectivism. In an other people’s effect on him. An important aspect extreme sense, all decisions made are group of self-reflectiveness is self-efficacy which is the decisions. When the group decides every member person’s belief that he is capable of behavior that should follow. group members depend on each will produce the desired positive results. other, individual thinking and decision making are frowned upon. - Some examples of issues decided upon by the group are gender roles, marriage practices and patriarchy. In such cases, individual freedom is sacrificed for the benefit of the group. There are only group decisions and group goals and the essence of existence is group survival. In the contemporary society, both the individualistic and the collective self may exist in a single individual. This is the result of influences and intermarriages between people of the East and the Li (propriety).In order to guide human actions, West. The sharing of knowledge and the influx of rules of propriety should be followed. Such rules information from mass media and social media have involve adherence to the rituals of the presently taken the positive aspect of individualism community. These are the customs, ceremonies and collectivism and blended them into one that will and traditions that form the basis of li which enable the individual to fully exercise his freedom persisted and is strengthened by human practice without sacrificing his family and the positive values provided by his culture. through generations. In connection with the li, Confucius stated, “to master oneself and return to propriety is humanity.” The Self in Western Thought Self mastery includes self-development. It rejects Ecological Self – the process of the self that is selfish behavior and instead cultivates inner undergoing development. Human biological and environmental characteristics like race, gender, qualities of humanity. Self mastery is social status, education, and culture are factors characterized by self-control and the will to that influence self-development. The self is seen redirect impulses and change these to socially as dynamic, different and unique in each accepted expressions of human nature. Li individual and is constantly exposed to an ever conforms to the norms of humanity. Confucius changing world. believes that everyone has duties and responsibilities, hence the five relationships. The Self in Confucian Thought These are relationships between father and son, ruler and subject, older and younger brothers, Confucius – Kong Zhongni of China, born in the husband and wife friend and friend. These acts period of the Zhou Dynasty in 551 BCE in the small are rituals whether religious or cultural highlight state of Lu. Through scholarly study, Confucius the social and public character of human actions. came to be known as “Master Kong” and as “Great Sage and Teacher”. Xiao (filiality). It is the virtue of reverence and respect for family. Parents should be revered for Confucius’ experiences in politics made him the life they had given. Children show respect to focus on social reforms. His philosophy came to be their parents by exerting efforts to take care of known as humanistic social philosophy which is themselves. Keeping themselves fit and healthy focus on human beings and the society he finds himself in. as such he considers the society and its through proper diet and regular exercises are communities as the main source of values of both examples. Reverence for parents and family is human beings and the society in general. further demonstrated by bringing honor to the Confucius stated, “that though the way of humans family, making something of himself to earn the is grounded in the way of heavens and operates in respect of others. If, however, the person is harmony with the way of nature, it is to the ideals having difficulty giving his family the honor that of the human way that people must turn for they deserved, he should just do his best to not guidance in reforming and renewing society.” disgrace the family The philosophical concept of Confucianism is centered on the ren which can be manifested Relationships that exist in the family reflect how through the li (propriety), xiao (filiality) and yi the person relates to others in the community. (rightness). The ren can be understood as human The family is a reflection of the person. How the goodness. It is which makes human beings person interacts socially and the values he different from beasts. It involves feelings and emulates can all be traced back to his family thinking which serves as the foundation of all environment. This forms the bases of the person’s human relationships. Ren further signifies the moral and social virtue. Chinese culture’s emphasis on feelings or the heart as the most important instead of the head in human nature. Yi (rightness). It is the right way of behaving. Yi is unconditional and absolute. Right is right and what is not right is wrong. There are no gray areas. Actions must be performed and carried out because they are the right actions. Obedience to parents, for instance, is expected of children because it is morally right and obligatory to do so. In addition, Confucius emphasized that actions should be performed because they are right and not for selfish benefits that they provide. Thus the saying, “Do not do to others what you do not want them to do to you.” Li, Xiao and Yi are virtues observed in a person whose humanity is developed, morally cultivated and aware. The cultivation of the ren through li, xiao and yi will lead to a person of virtue. Virtuous people, according to Confucianism, result in a well- rounded, civilized, humane society.