The self in Various perspectives

Drawing Boundaries of the Self

Ken Wilber • Self – identity depends heavily on where we draw the boundary line
between the "self and "not-self, and all that is inside is “me” and what is outside is
“not me."
Aristotle • The human being is both the body and soul and that the soul cannot be
separated from the body
Consider that even under normal conditions there are moments when we want to
say that our action is not expressive of “who we really are”, that we were “not
ourselves” at the time of the action.

Through Philosophers’ Eyes

Plato • Human life or existence is essentially a struggle between reason and
desire, and that, a struggle that REASON ought and needs to win. • Reason is the
“higher” part of the human being, and desires are the “lower” part that constitutes
the primitive, irrational and chaotic level. • We need to exercise temperance and
self-control. • True self is made of reason and this makes up the soul of the
individual.
Through Philosophers’ Eyes
Plato • The soul is separable from the body and constitutes the
immaterial self, which he believes as indestructible and immortal. • The soul
consists of three parts: reason, desire, and spirit
• Reason – reality • Desire – irrational, instinctive cravings • Spirit – depending on
a good nature (reason) or a bad nurture
(desire). • Spiritual or mental health is achieved when the three parts are
harmonious with one another
Through Philosophers' Eyes
Rene Descartes, Immanuel Kant • Also frame human life as an endless battle
between reason and passion, but unlike Plato, claims that desire, feeling, and
emotion solely belongs to the body. • Desire, feeling, and emotion only serve to
disorder the soul. • Emotions and desire must be thoroughly excluded to exercise
reason and attain knowledge. • According to them, we have to tame and control
desires emotions and feelings so they cannot rule over us.
Through Philosophers' Eyes
David Hume • Hume does not accept the identification of human
beings with reason • Believes that desires and emotions are an important and
legitimate part of the self and that they, in fact, are the sources of our motivation
and behavior • Reason is and should be the slave of passion
Through Philosophers' Eyes
Sigmund Freud • The self is divided into the id, ego, and superego • Superego -
moral phenomenon based on internalized moral
values • Id - Desire • Ego – Reason (balances id and superego) • When there is
conflict between superego and id, repression
happens wherein an event is pushed into the unconscious. • Excessive
repression is harmful, leading to disorders.
Sigmund Freud
FREUD concluded that the human mind is like an ice a. Conscious – the
awareness b. Preconscious – contains ideas that are out of awareness
but can be made conscious by focusing on ther c. Unconscious – shrouded in
mystery and is completely out
of awareness
Through Philosophers’ Eyes
John Locke • Makes a distinction between“persons” and ”human beings” • What
makes a person over time, is not the same thing as
what makes a human being the same over time • A human being – organism;
biological changes happen but
does not change the fact that we are human • A person – rational, thinking, and
intelligent being that has reason and reflection.
• When one thinks, one becomes self - conscious • An individual can be the same
person despite significant bodily changes as long as there is continuity in
memory.
Personhood and Moral Value
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• Personhood is distinguishable from just being human • Persons have a special
value, that they
deserve particular moral respect • Humans do not automatically qualify one for
the special kind of moral respect due for persons.
Personhood and Moral Value
Personhood according to Kant • Persons are capable of deciding for themselves
the
shape and goals of their life (self-determination) • They have their rationally
determined goals, which in turn are not just instruments or means for the
realization of another person's projects • Persons are not “mere things” • Persons
have a dignity that makes them valuable above all price
Personhood and Moral Value
• According to Kant, simply being a member of the Homo
sapiens does not qualify one as a person, but all of us are human beings in
nature. • In another perspective, intelligent beings like aliens, androids, gods,
spirits, or angels could still be persons
Ken Wilber on Identification and Mapping the Self: From the Skin to the Universe
• The persona is the narrowed self - image, while the
shadow is the unwanted part that a person hides/denies.
Ken Wilber on Identification and Mapping the Self: From the Skin to the Universe
• According to Ken Wilber, persons can re-map their souls and may discover
them in territories they never thought possible, attainable, or even desirable. •
The self-identity is to include the entire universe, with
all worlds, high or low, sacred or profane • "Unity consciousness," "cosmic
consciousness,” or
"religious experience" • "One harmonious whole” where there is no more outside
or inside, and so nowhere to draw the line.
Ken Wilber on Identification and Mapping the Self: From the Skin to the Universe
• Transpersonal Phenomena • Simplest instance is ESP, or extrasensory
perception
(out of body experiences, precognition, telepathy, clairvoyance, peak
experiences, so on) • Not to be mixed up with unity consciousness, where the
person's identity is with the All or everything • In transpersonal experiences,
person's identity does not
expand to the whole, but it does expand or extend beyond the skin-boundary of
the organism

1 Consider that even under normal conditions there are moments when we want
to say that our action is not expressive of “who we really are”, that we were “not
ourselves” at the time of the action. 2 TEMPERANCE – moderateness, practice
of always controlling your actions, thoughts, or feelings 3 REASON/rational –
knows reality, also calculates and makes decisions, the part that loves the truth
DESIRE/appetitive – sensual, element that enjoys sensual experiences, such as
food, drink, and sex SPIRITUAL/spirited – feeling, part that loves honor and
victory, inclined toward reason but understands the demands of passion 4 Kant-
Reason allows us to decide what is the moral thing to do 5 6 REPRESSION –
denial of instinctual drive and satisfaction demanded by morality, when a person
pushes forbidden desires right down into the unconscious part of the mind 7
Structures of personality/provinces of the mind Id – primarily concerned with
satisfying personal desires, regardless of the physical or social limitations, it only
seeks pleasure Ego – primary job is to mediate or balanced the demands of the id
and the outer forces of reality, ego’s job is not to frustrate the aims of the id
Superego – moral arm of the personality, guided by moralistic and ideal principle,
corresponds to one’s conscience, society’s and parent’s values and standards 8
This is in contrast to empiricism advocated by John Locke, the "blank slate" or
tabula rasa view, which states that the brain has inborn capabilities for learning
from the environment but does not contain content such as innate beliefs. This
factor contributes to the ongoing nature versus nurture dispute. Empericism –
knowledge is acquired through experiences and interactions with the world 9 10
11 12 13 Unity consciousness – individuals who have gone through awesome
and illuminating experiences that make him feel that he is fundamentally one with
the universe 14 Transpersonal – described as some sort of development or
process occurring in the individual that, in a sense, goes beyond the individual 15