UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

LP01: Philosophical Self

2.2 THREE COMPONENTS OF
PHILOSOPHICAL SELF THE SOUL

1 SOCRATES RATIONAL SPIRITED APPETITIVE

SOUL SOUL
SOUL
- From Ancient Greece and concerned
on the problem of the self The rational Courageous Part of a
function of part of a person who
the soul. person who is inclined
1.1 DUALISTIC wanted to do to
every man is composed of body and soul good and pleasures.
avoid bad. The
BODY – imperfect and impermanent
irrational
(not infinite)
function of
SOUL – perfect and permanent the soul
The person The person The person
“an unexamined life is not worth living” – has more support the desires
you need to reflect first. There is a soul critical policies and pleasures
before the body. knowledge judgements and
or analytical of the cravings in
1.2 SOCRATIC METHOD knowledge. society basic
- art of questioning, a shared because of biological
dialogue between teacher and the fear needs
students. The teacher ask thought- being
provoking questions to stimulate punished.
the critical thinking of the students Most Acts as the Most likely
and able to respond and answer Intellegent implementor to be
properly. of rational decieved
soul.
- Example: What do you mean when Ex: Leader, Ex: Soldiers Ex: Peasant
you say X? Could you explain that kings, and
point further? Can you provide an philosophers
example? Is there a different point
of view?
3 ST. AUGUSTINE
- The world of materials is not our
2 PLATO final home but only a temporary one.
- His view of the human person
- Founded the academy reflects the entire spirit of the
- ACADEMY – prototype of today’s medieval world.
universities - The soul is united with the body so
Believed the existence of mind and that man may be entire and complete
soul - Believed that humankind is created
“The soul is immortal” in the image and likeness of God
- The self is known only through
knowing God
2.1 DICHOTOMY
- Between the ideal (world of “I am doubting, therefore I am”
forms) and material world

4 ST. THOMAS AQUINAS

- Man is composed of matter and form
MATTER (hyle) – common stuff
that makes up everything (out of
which thing is made)
FORM (morpe) – essence of the
living (what makes a thing to be
what it is)
UNDERSTANDING THE SELF
LP01: Philosophical Self

5 RENE DESCARTES
- Father of Modern Philosophy
- He doubts the existence of his own
physical body (mind and body)
- When a person can think, it is a
proof that there is an existence of the
self.
RES COGITANS – the thinking
being
RES EXTENSA – the measurable
thing
“ I think, therefore I am”

6 JOHN LOCKE
- He believe that the sense experiences
creates the self
BLANK SLATE THEORY OR
TABULA RASA THEORY – the
self is a blank sheet of paper and the
experiences of the 5 senses serve as a
pencil to construct the self.
EMPIRICISTS – knowledge
originates from sense experiences

7 DAVID HUME
- Self came from the collection or
bundle of perceptions or
apprehension (anxiety or fear).
- Once the body contains the 5 senses
disintegrated (fall apart) the concept
about the self will vanish
- The idea of personal identity is a
result of an imagination
“There is no self”