Assignment/ Activity on Chapter 1: Philosophical Perspective of the Self

1. Look for a detailed biography of one of the philosophers discussed in this module
and make an analysis on how their life experiences influenced their concepts about
the self. Cite your sources or references.

ARISTOTLE
Aristotle was born in 384 B.C. in Stagira in northern Greece. Both of his
parents were members of traditional medical families, and his father, Nicomachus,
served as court physician to King Amyntus III of Macedonia. His parents died while
he was young, and he was likely raised at his family’s home in Stagira. At age 17 he
was sent to Athens to enroll in Plato's Academy. He spent 20 years as a student and
teacher at the school, emerging with both a great respect and a good deal of
criticism for his teacher’s theories. Plato’s own later writings, in which he softened
some earlier positions, likely bear the mark of repeated discussions with his most
gifted student.
All we want is to live a decent life, which is the utmost good. The good life is
the reason we live, according to him. For this reason, his ideology revolves around
the pursuit of happiness, which he refers to as Eudaimonia. According to Aristotle,
various preconditions must be met in order to obtain Eudaimonia. A virtuous
existence is nearly difficult for him without these external assets. Health, beauty,
material well-being, friends, and a position in political society are among these
prerequisites. In conclusion, these external benefits, in addition to an institutional
framework, constitute a cornerstone of a fulfilled life for him. Many individuals have
wrestled with the question of what constitutes a happy and lucky life throughout
history, and the debate continues now. The purpose of a happy existence is action
itself, with the goal of achieving Eudaimonia. Eudaimonia is the ultimate desire.
Every activity is carried out in order to achieve a certain goal, which is viewed as
positive by the individual and leads to a more active lifestyle. The goals are not
chosen at random, but rather in a hierarchical order, with subordinate goals
contributing in the achievement of the ultimate aim. For example, during
construction, the goal is not to finish the work, but to finish the house, which provides
the necessary security to live the best life possible. It can be deduced from this
which self-sufficient character Eudaimonia possesses. Furthermore, there is a
rationale for the ultimate objective: according to Aristotle, human endeavor without
an ultimate goal would carry on indefinitely.

History.com Editors. (2019, August 29). Aristotle. History. Retrieved from

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-history/aristotle
Berken, I. (2020). What is, according to Aristotle, the best life for humans and
is his conception of the best life plausible? Munich, GRIN Verlag. Retrieved from
https://www.grin.com/document/535378
2. Complete the following matrix.

Self is soul
Self is reason/intellect
Self is body and soul
Self is knowing God by introspection
Mind is the real self
Mind could reflect about itself
Self is nothing but a physical body
Mind is a blank slate
Self is an entity no one can locate and analyze
Mind and body are intertwined
The self is inceperable from the brain and the physiology of the body