Understanding the Self: Chapter 1 (Lessons 1-3) PDF

**Understanding the Self: CHAPTER 1** **LESSON 1: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES** **NAME**- it represents who we are \- it is a **signifier** of one's self -it designates us in the world -it won't stop representing someone and even **death** cannot stop it. **SELF**- a perso...

**Understanding the Self: CHAPTER 1** **LESSON 1: THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES** **NAME**- it represents who we are \- it is a **signifier** of one's self -it designates us in the world -it won't stop representing someone and even **death** cannot stop it. **SELF**- a person\'s essential being that [distinguishes](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=a1240fbab318ff70&rlz=1C1GCEA_enPH1091PH1091&sxsrf=ADLYWIJrVQeOxWq_ddc33zXVVP5i9JZa0A:1724166482318&q=distinguishes&si=ACC90nzeIzR7eQ3kZwtyqq-Z0Z5j1A2tMkV9vkMMla7B35pK4hOmtlAu9Ogv3r_oFtM6j64ONTc_wNGHTjBkCmgOz7m-yI0Tm2h_EhL70T1ZaU4gXxVaow0%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB8djV7IOIAxUxqFYBHZW3OsMQyecJegQIExAO) them from others, especially considered as the object of [introspection](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=a1240fbab318ff70&rlz=1C1GCEA_enPH1091PH1091&sxsrf=ADLYWIJrVQeOxWq_ddc33zXVVP5i9JZa0A:1724166482318&q=introspection&si=ACC90nzeIzR7eQ3kZwtyqq-Z0Z5jj5AdwEj5nG0EtLD_QsUXIN6q4HFmn9rp3VlWveMPdPWv4uWH_sTrKJZbwJWWvlYq3hzqzW5Hja4F_zooAFgJiGHpl9A%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB8djV7IOIAxUxqFYBHZW3OsMQyecJegQIExAP) or [reflexive](https://www.google.com/search?sca_esv=a1240fbab318ff70&rlz=1C1GCEA_enPH1091PH1091&sxsrf=ADLYWIJrVQeOxWq_ddc33zXVVP5i9JZa0A:1724166482318&q=reflexive&si=ACC90nxMSPeZfdJJjQgDsdZJuFuJ4I-MeAYG_H1U_Vm3GDyDp4SwQZMHcYtAno73ND82rAG16bpI4z830Bp80pYR8ODYMVqhm5G6KvX7zvjC25Wm9Nmn0KQ%3D&expnd=1&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjB8djV7IOIAxUxqFYBHZW3OsMQyecJegQIExAQ) action it something that a person perennially molds, shape and develop. **Psychology**-the **scientific** study of the human mind and its functions, especially those affecting behavior in a given context. **Importance:** Essentially, psychology helps people in large part because it can explain why people act the way they do. With this kind of professional insight, a psychologist can help people **improve** their decision making, stress management and behavior based on understanding past behavior to better predict future behavior. **Philosophy-**the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline. **Importance:** The study of philosophy enhances a person\'s problem-solving capacities. It helps us to analyze concepts, definitions, arguments, and problems. It contributes to our capacity to organize ideas and issues, to deal with questions of value, and to extract what is essential from large quantities of information. **Various perspective about self:** **1. Socrates** - **1^st^ philosopher** who ever engaged in a systematic questioning about self. - according to him, the true task of being a thinker is to know oneself - he believed that unexamined life is not worth living. - he also believed that every man is composed of **body and soul.** **2. PLATO** - **Student of Socrates** - he believed that the soul of a man has 3 components 1. **rational soul-** reason and intellect (knowledge) 2. **spirited soul**- handles emotion 3. **appetitive soul-** desires **3. AUGUSTINE** - bifurcated nature - to live in virtues - to die with god **4. THOMAS AQUINAS** - adopt the idea of Aristotle - [Man Is Composed Of 2 Parts:] 1. **MATTER "HYLE"-** common stuff that makes up the universe 2. **FORM "MORPHE"-** essence of the substance. **5. RENE DESCARTES** - father of modern philosophy - [Man Is Composed Of:] 1. **body-** "expenza" 2. **mind-** "cogito" - for him the body is nothing else but a machine that attached to mind. **6. DAVID HUME-** Scottish Philosopher **Empiricism**- study of thoughts that espouses the idea of knowledge through experience. - for him, Self is the collection of **bundles of experiences** through different actions. - he coined the philosophy of impression (basic object from our experience) and idea (anything that's in our mind is only an idea) **7. IMMANUEL KANT** - recognizes self as a problem - for him **interaction** is a must to obtain knowledge in knowing oneself - everything starts with perception and sensation **8. GILBERT Ryle** - the wholesome of what we perceived, manifest and experience are the true definition of self. **9. MERLEAU- PONTY** - phenomenologist - body, thoughts, emotions and experience are all one **UNDERSTANDING THE SELF: LESSON 2** **TOPIC: THE SELF, SOCIETY, AND CULTURE** **CHARACTERISTICS OF SELF:** 1. **SEPARATE- self is distinct from other selves. It is always unique and has its own identity** 2. **SELF-CONTAINED AND INDEPENDENT- it can exist alone with his thoughts, volition and characteristics.** 3. **CONSISTENT- it has a personality that enduring and therefore can be expected to persist for quite some time.** 4. **UNITARY- a certain person is the center of all the thoughts and experiences.** 5. **PRIVATE- the self is isolated from the external world. It lives within his own world. He might see potential clash with the external reality with a particular reason.** **THE VIBRANT RELATIONSHIP OF SELF TO THE EXTERNAL WORLD** **[THE SELF AND CULTURE:]** **Self tends to consider territory and values of a particular place. He or she will be going to adjust depending on the circumstances and belief.** Example: adjustments done by an OFW to their employers abroad. **MARCEL MAUSS' 2 FACES OF SELF** - **"MOI"-** person's sense of who he is **(body, basic identity, biological givenness)** - **"PERSONNE"-** hot to behave in different institution in regards to influence and expectations from others. **[\ ]** **[THE SELF AND LANGUAGE:]** **The human mind as something that is made, constituted through language as experienced in external world and as encountered in dialogs with others.** Example: a young child internalizes values, norms, practices and social beliefs after a dialog with his friend. **MEAD AND VYGOTSKY** They believed that a human persons develop is with the use of **language acquisition and interaction** with others. **[THE SELF AND FAMILY]** **Every human person is born with certain givenness, disposition coming from his parent's genes and general condition of life, the impact of one\'s family is still deemed as a given in understanding the self. Self can imitate behavior from parents and the environment itself.** Example: tables manners and formality during and every occasions **[THE SELF AND GENDER]** **Our gender partly determines how we see ourselves in the world. Oftentimes society forces a particular identity unto us depending on our sex and gender preference.** Example: husband need to work hard to sustain family needs and wife must give a good care for babies and just stay at home to settle household chores. **[THE SELF AND SOCIETY]** **A human person tends to imitate what is being seen in his environment. Self may be influenced by trends, social development, popular personalities, brands endorsed by celebrities and even lifestyles from social media.** Example: Cosplay **Understanding the Self: Lesson 3** **Topic: The Self as Cognitive Construct** **William James (1890):** - He conceptualized self as having 2 aspects: - "I" -- refers to an individual's thinking, acting, and feeling self - "Me"- physical characteristics as well as psychological capabilities that makes who you are. **Carl Rogers (1959):** -He also conceptualized self with the same terms used by WJ. \- he coined **SELF-SCHEMA** (collection of knowledge about who you are) - "I" -- the one who acts and decides - "Me"- what you feel or think as an object **[Identity]-** composed of personal characteristics, social roles, and responsibilities as will as affiliations that define who one is. **[Self-concept]-** what basically comes to your mind when you are asked about who you are. **(**self, identity and self-concept are not fixed in one time: example {water and malleable metal**)** **FRONTAL LOBE-** specific area of the brain that is concerned about our self. **Sigmund Freud** - **For him, self is not just about nature and nurture but it's about the perspective of the theory itself. Interaction for him affects the self.** **Perspective of self:** - **"ID"- deals with desire and emotion** - **"EGO"- the decision maker, mediator, moderator** - **"SUPEREGO"- deals with morality** **3 REASON WHY SELF AND IDENTITY ARE SOCIAL PRODUCTS:** 1. We are not created ourselves out of nothing. The self is the product of culture, society, gender, and family influences. 2. We actually need others to affirm and reinforce who we think we are. 3. What we think is important to us may also have been influenced by what is important in our social or historical context. **Social Interaction and Group Affiliation**- are vital factors in creating our self-concept specially in cultivating our social- identity. **Carver and Scheier** (1981)-they identified self with its 2 types: - **Private self**- internal standards, thoughts, feelings - **Public self**- your public image that geared towards having a good presentation of self towards others **Self- awareness**- it is the self-consciousness that determines the ability of knowing what is in need to be done and what is in need to reject. It is the product of many aspects that a particular individual can able to define who he is. **3 SELF- SCHEMA OF SELF AWARENESS:** - **"Actual self"-** who you are at the moment (acquisition) - **"Ideal self"-**who you like to be (manifestation) - **"Ought self"-** who you think you should be (action) **Self-consciousness-** a part of self that concerned about being observed and criticized by others. It has a negative and positive effects to a person if mismanaged. **Group identity**- it is the self-identity that was influenced by number of individuals inside and organization or even companionship with pairs, group setting and even institution. **Oedipus Complex: Sigmund Freud**  - - - - **Electra Complex: Carl Jung**  - - - -