Lesson Objectives

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to:

 1. explain why is it essential to understand the self
 2. describe and discuss the different notions of the self
from the points-of view of the various philosophers
 3. examine one’s self against the different views of the self
from various philosophers
 The SELF from Various
Philosophical Perspectives
Understanding the Self
THE SELF

 SINO AKO?
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
 What is Philosophy?
 Greek words : Philos and Sophia
 Meaning : Love for wisdom
 Study of acquiring knowledge through rational thinking
and inquiries that involve in answering questions
regarding the nature and existence of man and the world
we live in
Socrates
 Socrates First martyr of education, knowledge and
philosophy
 His philosophy underlies in the importance of the notion
”know thy self”
 Men’s goal in life is to obtain happiness
 Understanding ourselves is through internal questioning
or introspection (understanding our strengths and
weaknesses; likes and dislikes)
Plato
 Student of Socrates
 Followed the idea of Socrates on knowing thyself
 According to him a person who is a follower of truth and wisdom
will not be tempted by vices and will always be correct/moral/ethical
3 parts of the soul
1. Appetitive Soul – the part of the person that is driven by desire
and need to satisfy oneself. This satisfaction involves physical needs
and pleasures and desires, objects and situations
2. Spirited Soul – courageous part of a person, one who wants to do
something or to right the wrongs that they observe. This is very
competitive and is very active.
3. Rational Soul – the drive of our lives, the part that thinks and plan
for the future (the conscious mind). It decides what to do, when
to do it and the possible results one could have depending on
their action.
St. Augustine
 A Saint and a Philosopher of the church
 Follows the idea that God encompasses us all, that
everything will be better if we are with God.
 Believed that God and his teachings affect various aspects
in life (everything is better if we devote ourselves in
mending our relationship with God)
Rene Descartes
 French philosopher known to be the father of modern
philosophy because of his radical use of systematic and
scientific method to aid his ideas and assumptions.
 What we perceive and accepting the fact that doubting,
asking questions are part of one’s existence
 Known for the statement “cogito ergo sum” ( I think
therefore I am)
 The more we think and doubt what we perceived from
our senses and the answer that came from such thinking
or doubting leads to better understanding of ourselves
John Locke
 English philosopher and physician
 Considered the father of classical liberation
 Work on the self is most represented by the concept
“tabula rasa” (blank slate)
 The experiences and perceptions of a person is
important in the establishment of who that person can
become.
David Hume
 Scottish Philosopher
 Focused his work on the field of empiricism, skepticism
and naturalism
 There is no permanent self because impressions of things
are based from our experiences where we can create our
ideas and knowledge, thus it may improved or totally
replaced
Emmanuel Kant
 German Philosopher that is known for his works on
empiricism and rationalism
 Established that the collection of impressions and
different contents is what it only takes to define a person
 Awareness of different emotions that we have,
impressions and behaviors is only a part of our self
 Transcendental apperception
Gilbert Ryle
 A British philosopher
 The self is the way people behave
 The self is best understood as a pattern of behavior, the
tendency or disposition of a person to behave in a certain
way in certain circumstances
 “I act therefore I am”
Paul Churchland
 The body-mind problem cannot be solved by
philosophers but by neuroscientists
 The self is the brain
 The mental state of the mind can impact on the cognitive,
affective, and psychomotor of the self
 How can one perceive yourself and the choice you make?
Maurice Merleau-Ponty
 “Is the self the body or the soul?” “If the self is both body
and soul, then how is the body connected to the soul?”
 The self lives in the body; hence without the body the self
cannot exist
PHILOSOPHICAL PERSPECTIVES
 What Philosophy says about the Self
Philosopher Who is the Self?
Socrates, Plato and St. The self is an immortal soul
Augustine
Descartes The self is a thinking thing, distinct from the body
John Locke Personal identity is made possible by self-consciousness
David Hume There is no self, only a bundle of constantly changing
perceptions passing through the theater of our minds
Immanuel Kant The self is a unifying subject, an organizing
consciousness that makes intangible experience possible

Gilbert Ryle The self is the way people behave

Paul and Patricia The self is the brain. Mental issues will be superseded by
Churchland the brain states
Maurice Merleau-Ponty The self is embodied subjectivity
Which philosophical perspective best fits my
view of myself?