The Philosophical Perspective of the Self PDF

THE PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Immortal What is Philosophy? The Soul belongs to this realm Philosophy is about: o Socrates was the first thinke...

THE PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVE OF THE SELF Immortal What is Philosophy? The Soul belongs to this realm Philosophy is about: o Socrates was the first thinker to focus on the full power of Finding answer to serious questions about ourselves and reason on the human self: who we are, who we should about world we live in: be, and who we will became. What is morally right and wrong? And Why? o The soul strives for wisdom and perfection, and reason is What is a good life? the soul’s tool to achieve an exalted state of life. Does God Exist? o Our preoccupation with bodily needs such as food, drink, What is the mind? sex, pleasure, material possessions, and wealth keep us And much, much more from attaining wisdom Questioning existing knowledge and intuitions to get o A person can have a meaningful and happy life only if he closer to the truth becomes virtuous and know the value of himself that can What will you get out of Philosophy? be achieved through constant soul searching. The Skills are: o For him, this is best achieved when one tries to separate Critical thinking the body from the soul as much possible. Argument skills Plato Communication THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL Reasoning A Student of Socrates Analysis Philosophy of the Self can be explained as a process of Problem Solving self-knowledge and purification of the soul. Which allow you to: He believed that in the existence of the mind and soul Justify opinions Mind and Soul is given in perfection with God. Spot a bad argument, no matter what the topic Plato: Soul has three Parts Explain the people why they are wrong and you are right 1. Rational Soul (Thinking Soul) Philosophy basically teaches you to think! ✔ Reason and intellect Pythagoras the first to use the term philosophy ✔ Divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make Love of Wisdom wise choices, and achieve a true understanding of Philo eternal truths 2. Spirited Soul ⮚ Greek word for Love Sophia ✔ Emotion and passion ⮚ Greek word for Wisdom ✔ Basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition, empathy Origin of Philosophy and Logic and aggressiveness Search for truth 3. Appetitive Soul Search is to look for something ✔ Basic Needs Search for meaning ✔ Includes our basis biological needs such as hunger, ✔ Importance thirst, and sexual desire. ✔ Significance o These three elements of our selves are in a dynamic ✔ Value relationship with one another, sometimes in conflict. ✔ Relevance o When conflict occurs, Plato believes that it is the Philosophy asks a lot of questions responsibility of our reason to sort things out and exert ANCIENT GREEK PHILOSOPHERS control, restoring a harmonious relationship among the Socrates three elements of our selves. Aristotle o Plato believes that genuine happiness can only be Plato achieved by people who consistently make sure that their “KNOW THYSELF” -Socrates reason is control of their spirits and Appetites. Philosophers agree that self-knowledge is a prerequisite Aristotle to a happy and meaningful life. THE SOUL IS THE ESSENCE OF THE SELF Socrates A Student of Plato “AN UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING” The body and soul are not two separate elements but are ❑ Every man is dualistic one thing ❑ Composed of body and soul The Soul is simply the form of the Body, and is not ❑ Two important aspect of his personhood capable of existing without the body ❑ Body- Imperfect and Impermanent The Soul is that which makes a person a person. The ❑ Soul- Perfect and permanent soul is the essence of the self Socrates’ two(2) dichotomous realms Aristotle suggests that the rational nature of the self is to 1. Physical realm lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life Changeable Without the body the soul cannot exist. The Soul dies Transcient and along with the body. Imperfect Aristotle The Body belongs to this realm Soul and Body, I suggest react sympathetically upon 2. Ideal realm each other. A change in the state of the soul produces a Unchanging change in the shape of the body and conversely, a change in the shape of the body produces a change in Eternal, and the state of the soul. St. Augustine Gilbert Ryle I A DOUBTING THEREFORE I AM THE SELF IS THE WAY PEOPLE BEHAVE Integrated the ideas of Plato and Christianity Self is not an entity one can locate and analyze but Augustine’s view of the human person reflects the entire simply the convenient name that people use to refer to all spirit of the medieval world. the behaviors that people make The soul is united with the body so that man may ne I act therefore I am, in short, the self is the same as entire and complete bodily behavior Believed human kind is created in the image and The Self is the way people behave likeness of God THE PHYSICAL SELF Therefore, the Human person being a creation of God is PHYSICAL SELF always geared towards the good. ✓ Refers to the body. This is the part of us that can be The self is known only through knowing God directly seen and observed by everyone. Self-knowledge is a consequence of knowledge of God ✓ In general, body performs its functions least well during “Knowledge can only come by seeing the truth that dwell (1) infancy and (2) old age. within us” ✓ Physical efficiency generally peaks in early adulthood Rene Descartes and declines into the middle age. I AM DOUBTING THEREFORE I AM ✓ Physical development and growth during childhood ⮚ The act of thinking about self-of being self-conscious – is continues at a slow rate compared with rapid rate of in itself proof that there is self growth in babyhood. Descartes’ two (2) distinct entities ADOLESCENCE 1. Cogito (Mind) ✓ is the period between the start of the puberty and The Thing that Thinks beginning of adulthood. 2. Extenza (Body) ✓ this stage is characterized by rapidly physical changes that includes the maturation of the reproductive system. The Extension Body LIFE SPAN Cogito ergo sum ✓ Development from conception of death ‘I Think therefore, I am” ELIZABETH B. HURLOCK John Locke ✓ Outlined the stages in life span THE SELF IS CONSCIOUSNESS ✓ Divided the stages into 10 parts ❑ The Human mind at birth is tabula rasa or blank slate STAGES OF LIFE SPAN ❑ He felt that the self is constructed primarily from sense experiences Locke theorized that when they are born, all babies know absolutely nothing In essence, he argued that the inside of a baby’s brain was empty ready to learn everything through experience The Self is consciousness Consciousness ✔ Necessary to have a coherent personal identity or knowledge of the self as a person ✔ What makes possible our belief that we are the same FACTORS AFFECTING PHYSICAL GROWTH AND identify in different situations. DEVELOPMENT Maurice Merleau-Ponty NATURE VERSUS NURTURE DEBATE THE SELF IS EMBODIED SUBJECTIVITY Nature The mind-body bifurcation that has been going in for a ✓ Socio-biologists, psychologists and others in the natural long time is a futile endeavor and an invalid problem sciences argue that behavior traits can be explained by All Knowledge of ourselves and our world is based on genetics. subjective experience Nurture The Self can never be truly objectified or known in a ✓ Sociologists, anthropologist, and other in the social completely objective sort of way The Self is embodied sciences argue that human behavior is learned and subjectivity shaped through interaction. Paul Churchland 1.HEREDITY THE SELF IS THE BRAIN ✓ biological process of transmission of traits from parents The self is in separable from the brain and physiology of of offspring the body ✓ the sex and other physical traits are determined by the All we have is the brain and so, if the brain is gone there combination of (1) chromosome and (2) genes during is no self fertilization (the union of the two cells: Egg and Sperm) The Physical brain and not the imaginary mind, gives us CHROMOSOMES our sense of self ✓ thread like tissues that carries the genes, and are usually found in pairs. The mind does not really exist ✓ 25 pairs of chromosomes It is the brain and not the imaginary mind that gives us Two (2) types: our sense of self 1. Autosomes or trait chromosomes (22 pairs) The self is the brain 2. Gonosome or sex chromosomes (the X and Y) GENES Some tribes (e.g Africa) during the medieval age ✓ Basis carriers of hereditary traits consider chubby, fat or plum women beautiful. ✓ Can be classified into: Some tribes in Malaysia, Philippines and Indonesia 1. Dominant (strong genes) considered flat noses to be the most attractive. 2. Recessive (weak genes) Standards of beauty have change over time based on 2.ENVIRONMENT changing cultural values. ✓ refers to the factors to which the individual is exposed All cultures have, more or less, the same concept after conception to death which includes learning and standards of beauty. experience Standards of Beauty ✓ factors such as diet, nutrition, and diseases play an ✓ Clean and unblemished skin important role in physical development. ✓ Thick shinny hair Body Image is……… ✓ Well-proportioned bodies ▪ refers to how individuals perceive, think, and feel about ✓ Symmetrical faces their body and physical appearance. ▪ Beauty is considered important throughout history. ▪ How you see yourself when you look in the mirror or ▪ This is because these features indicate youth, health, when you picture yourself in your mind good genes, and fertility. ▪ What you believe about your own appearance (including ▪ Beauty is important in all societies. your memories, assumptions, and generalizations) ▪ Attractive people have a lot of advantages in life. ▪ How you feel about your body, including your height, ABOVE ALL THINGS PHYSICAL, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO shape and weight. BE BEAUTIFUL IN THE INSIDE. ▪ How you sense and control your body as you move. APPEARANCE ▪ Everything about a person that other can observe such as height, weight, skin color, clothes, and hairstyle. SELF-ESTEEM ✓ a person’s overall evaluation of his or her own worth. CAUSE OF POOR BODY IMAGE ✓ Emphasis on thin ideal body ✓ Bullying and poor pressure ✓ Media EFFECT OF POOR BODY IMAGE ✓ Body Dissatisfaction ✓ Depression ✓ Low-self esteem ✓ Eating disorder (Anorexia Nervosa) ✓ Form Body Modification Positive Body Image is… ✓ a clear, true perception of your shape- you see the various parts of your body as they really are. ✓ You celebrate and appreciate your natural body shape and you understand that a person’s physical appearance says very little about their character and value as a person. ✓ you feel proud and accepting of your unique body and refuse to spend an unreasonable amount of time worrying about food, weight, and calories. ✓ you feel comfortable and confident in your body. CAN YOU CHANGE A POOR BODY IMAGE ✓ Sure, you can! ✓ The first things to do is recognize that your body is your own, no matter what shape, size, or color it come is. ✓ Next, identify which aspects of your appearance you can realistically change and which you can’t. Everyone has things about themselves that they can’t change and need to accept- like their height, or their shoe size. ✓ If there are things about yourself that you want to change and can (such as how fit you are) do this by making goals for yourself. ✓ When you hear negative comments from within yourself, tell yourself to stop. Try building your self-esteem by giving yourself three compliments every day. How do you define beauty? In Egyptian art, beauty is portrayed in women with slim, high waist, narrow hips and long black hair. Women with full figure and rounded hips were considered beautiful during the Renaissance period.