Understanding THE SELF

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF THE SELF from Various Philosophical Perspectives

PHILOSOPHY

 Study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially in an

academicdiscipline.
 A particular theory that someone has about how to live or how to deal with a particular
situation.
 Academic discipline concerned with investigating the nature of significance of ordinary
andscientific beliefs – investigates the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning
theirimplications, relationships as well as reality, knowledge, moral judgment, etc.
 As used originally by the ancient Greeks, the term “philosophy” meant the pursuit of
knowledgefor its own sake, and comprised ALL areas of speculative thought, including the arts,
sciences andreligion.

Philosophical questions (unlike those of the sciences) are usually foundational and abstract innature.
Philosophy is done primarily through reflection and does not tend to rely on experiment,although the
methods used to study it may be analogous to those used in the study of the naturalsciences.

MUCH OF PHILOSOPHY CONCERNS WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF SELF:

The Greeks were the ones who seriously questioned myths and moved away from them
tounderstand reality and respond to perennial questions of curiosity, including the question of theself.

The following are discussions of different perspectives and under- standings of the self-according to its
prime movers. From philosophers of the ancient times to the contemporary period.

THE PRE-SOCRATICS

The Pre-Socratics philosophers were Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus,

andEmpedocles. They were concerned with answering questions such as:

1. What is the world really made up of?

2. Why is the world the way it is?
3. What explains the changes that happen around us?

THE PRE-SOCRATICS

 Arché- origin or source/the “soul”/the primal matter.

 The soul’s movement is the ultimate arché of all other movement.
 Arché has no origin outside itself and cannot be destroyed.
 Explains the multiplicity of things in the world.
 DO YOU AGREE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE SOUL?

DO YOU THINK YOU HAVE BOTH?

WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWWEEN THE TWO?

THE ANCIENT TRIUMVIRATEA. SOCRATES (469-399 BC)

Considered father of Western Philosophy.

Plato, one of his students, kept his teachings and beliefs alive in his writing documenting
Socratesincarceration and eventually his execution.

Concerned with the problem of the self

“the true task of the philosopher is to know oneself”

“the unexamined life is not worth living”

Underwent a trial for ‘corrupting the minds of the youth’

Succeeded made people think about who they are

‘the worst thing that can happen to anyone is to live but die inside’

“every person is dualistic”

Man = body + soul

Individual = imperfect/permanent (body) + perfect & permanent (soul)Socrates Beliefs

Wisdom is awareness of own self ignorance, especially through the acquisition of self-awareness and
self-knowledge

Self-awareness and self-knowledge were key to becoming an individual who can thinkand analyze for
himself/herself

Seeking the truth in all things by asking questions and constantly dissecting allviewpoints
and ideas

Freewheel discussion with the youth of Athens- to discover or expand upon new ideas

Questioned everything Virtues

1. Humility-the quality or state of being humble (not arrogant/proud)

2. Frugality-characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources

3. Simplicity-uncomplicated Quotes

“As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”

“False words are not only evil in themselves, but they infect the soul with evil.”

“True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life,ourselves, and
the world around us.”

“Wisdom begins in wonder.”Rejected

By members of Greece’s government/sophists.Forced to make a public apology: but quite the

opposite-think for yourself and never accept astatement as truth unless you have truly researched its
roots.Death SentenceDrank hemlock-any of several poisonous herbs (as a poison hemlock or a water
hemlock) of the carrot family having finely cut leaves and small white flowers Could have escaped but
did notDie with dignity

PHILOSOPHY

 Study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, especially in an academic
discipline.  A particular theory that someone has about how to live or how to deal with a particular
situation.  Academic discipline concerned with investigating the nature of significance of ordinary and
scientific beliefs – investigates the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning their
implications, relationships as well as reality, knowledge, moral judgment, etc.  As used originally by the
ancient Greeks, the term "philosophy" meant the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake, and
comprised ALL areas of speculative thought, including the arts, sciences and religion.  Philosophical
questions (unlike those of the sciences) are usually foundational and abstract in nature. Philosophy is
done primarily through reflection and does not tend to rely on experiment, although the methods used
to study it may be analogous to those used in the study of the natural sciences.

MUCH OF PHILOSOPHY CONCERNS WITH THE FUNDAMENTAL NATURE OF SELF:

 The Greeks were the ones who seriously questioned myths and moved away from them to understand
reality and respond to perennial questions of curiosity, including the question of the self.  The following
are discussions of different perspectives and under- standings of the self-according to its prime movers.
From philosophers of the ancient times to the contemporary period.
THE PRE-SOCRATICS

The Pre-Socratics philosophers were Thales, Pythagoras, Parmenides, Heraclitus, and Empedocles. They
were concerned with answering questions such as:

 What is the world really made up of?  Why is the world the way it is?  What explains the changes
that happen around us?

THE PRE-SOCRATICS  Arché- origin or source/the “soul”/the primal matter.  The soul’s movement is
the ultimate arché of all other movement.  Arché has no origin outside itself and cannot be destroyed.
 Explains the multiplicity of things in the world.

DO YOU AGREE THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE BODY AND THE SOUL? DO YOU THINK YOU
HAVE BOTH? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWWEEN THE TWO?

THE ANCIENT TRIUMVIRATE

A. SOCRATES (469-399 BC)

 Considered father of Western Philosophy.  Plato, one of his students, kept his teachings and beliefs
alive in his writing documenting Socrates incarceration and eventually his execution.  Concerned with
the problem of the self  “the true task of the philosopher is to know oneself”  “the unexamined life is
not worth living”  Underwent a trial for ‘corrupting the minds of the youth’  Succeeded made people
think about who they are  ‘the worst thing that can happen to anyone is to live but die inside’  “every
person is dualistic”  Man = body + soul  Individual = imperfect/permanent (body) + perfect &
permanent (soul)

Socrates Beliefs  Wisdom is awareness of own self ignorance, especially through the acquisition of self-
awareness and self-knowledge  Self-awareness and self-knowledge were key to becoming an individual
who can think and analyze for himself/herself  Seeking the truth in all things by asking questions and
constantly dissecting all viewpoints and ideas  Freewheel discussion with the youth of Athens- to
discover or expand upon new ideas  Questioned everything

Virtues
Humility-the quality or state of being humble (not arrogant/proud)

Frugality-characterized by or reflecting economy in the use of resources

Simplicity-uncomplicated

Quotes  “As for me, all I know is that I know nothing.”  “False words are not only evil in themselves,
but they infect the soul with evil.”  “True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we
understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us.”  “Wisdom begins in wonder.”

Rejected  By members of Greece’s government/sophists.  Forced to make a public apology: but quite
the opposite-think for yourself and never accept a statement as truth unless you have truly researched
its roots.

Death Sentence  Drank hemlock-any of several poisonous herbs (as a poison hemlock or a water
hemlock) of the carrot family having finely cut leaves and small white flowers  Could have escaped but
did not  Die with dignity

He outlined laws of associationism that have lain at the heart of learning theory for more than 2,000
years.

He also declared that people are more motivated to seek pleasure and avoid pain – a view that remains
as current today as it was in ancient Greece.

Aristotle’s Arguments

 Soul – the principle which causes movement  Movement – life is a movement  Humans are a
combinations of body (matter) and soul (form) > soul actualizes body (matter)  Essence – what
makes you, you.  Self-Nutrition and Reproductions -autonomic biological systems = life =
begins/generates & corrupts (dies)  Perception -5 senses – you perceive atoms which causes your
eyes, ears, nose, etc… to take –form of what you believe you are perceiving -selects focus -helps
discriminate

 Thinking -reason and logic, attention, knowing and understanding

 Desire -body and soul are “in love”

 Practical Reason -discriminate -choose

Joined Plato’s Academy  Studied under him, attending his lectures for a period of twenty years and
began to lecture on rhetoric.  Plato died in 347, but Aristotle was not designated to lead academy
divergence from Plato’s teaching was too great

MEDIEVAL PHILOSOPHY

A. ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO (13 November 354 AD – 8 August 430 AD – age 75)

 ‘spirit of man’ in medieval philosophy  Following view of Plato but adds Christianity  Man is of a
bifurcated nature  Part of man dwells in the world (imperfect) and yearns to be with the Divine  Other
part is capable of reaching immortality • body – dies on earth; soul – lives eternally in spiritual bliss with
“God” Aim:  to focus on the life of Augustine and primarily his most defining works, the Confessions
and the City of God

St. Augustine Major Themes

Search for happiness is not easy…

Struggle as an adolescent to believe in God and live a virtuous life…

Virtue as character strengths that develop over time…

Sexuality and holiness = can we bridge the two?

B. ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (Patron Saint of Students and Universities 1227 – 1274)

 Man = matter + form  Matter (hyle) – “common stuff that makes up everything in the universe” 
Form (morphe) – “essence of a substance or thing”; (what makes it what it is)  The body of the human
is similar to animals/objects, but what makes a human is his essence  “the soul is what makes us
humans”

MODERN PHILOSOPHY

A. RENE DESCARTES

 Father of Modern Philosophy  Human person = body + mind  “there is so much that we should
doubt”  “if something is so clear and lucid as not to be doubted, that’s the only time one should
believe.”  The only thing one can’t doubt is existence of the self  “I think, therefore I am”  The self =
cogito (the thing that thinks) + extenza (extension of mind/body)  The body is a machine attached to
the mind  It’s the mind that makes the man  “I am a thinking thing… A thing that doubts, understands,
affirms, denies, wills, refuses, imagines, perceives.”

B. JOHN LOCKE (1632-1704)

His most important works:

 An Essay Concerning Human Understanding (1689)  Two Treatises of Civil Government (1689)  A
Letter Concerning Toleration (1689)

Major Works Essay Concerning Human Understanding

 In his Essay, Locke tries to determine the limits of our understanding, discussing the sources of human
knowledge and what can and what cannot be known.  He argues that people are not born with innate
knowledge, but rather that their mind is a tabula rasa, a blank slate, on which the thread of experience
writes.  All of humanity is born equal in the realms of natural intelligence.  The father of modern
philosophy, expounded the theory that all knowledge should be proven as illustrated by his famous
statement, "I think, therefore I am".  Locke reportedly declared that he would
"rather learn Descartes than Aristotle.“  Locke developed his ideas in a very different direction
than Descartes; he rejected his predecessor’s conviction in the existence of innate ideas.