Daniel Scott G.

Lagmay 1st Year-BS BIO 1

Flexible Learning Assessment #: 6 (PRELIMINARY EXAM-PART 2)

Direction: Explain the following items substantially.

1. Among the different Philosopher’s concepts about the self, who or which? do you
think makes the most sense? Why? (10 points)

In such a personal reckoning towards those insightful philosophers, the philosophy of Merleau-
Ponty took my interest to a different level. The concept of the self that he had in his mind
projected continuous relevance up until this time. Throughout years of unraveling the fabrication
of the self, Merleau-Ponty’s works began to arise and deflated some of the traditional
philosophies that have been prominent in the comprehension of many. Especially, the traditional
dichotomy of body and mind has been accounted for and argued for the benefit of philosophical
understanding. His philosophy in that matter is profound and concrete, making its grounds on
the value of the living experience of humans. Convincingly, his works and understanding on the
subject make sense in such a way that it deliberately explicates the nature of the self as a
unified existence inclined to experience and struggle the world as it seems. He expounds on the
idea that the concept of self as a body is not only fixed on physical undertaking and
materialization but is also structured for subjective functioning. Indeed, it is crucial enough to
consider his perspective on the subject of self because some of the philosophies that are
mentioned undermine the validity of the body as a constituent of the self. The dualistic
tendencies that emerged in Western Philosophies underestimated the significance of the body
that is implied to be an object utilized by a cognitive force. With these, he demanded to reiterate
the supposed linkage of mind and body, self and the world, experience, and perception as a
unified inseparable animation of life. His understanding reflects on the context of perception
wherein the capacity of the self to embody experiences on the world is innately more primordial
than recognizing mental and intellectual operations in the extent of seeing the world. Generally,
the idea of Merleau-Ponty is plausible enough to make sense because he clears out the
allocation of the nature, capability, and inclination of self towards the world and the situations
therein. An implication is how he allocated the reflective ability and cognitive functioning of the
self not to be the basis of knowing the world, however essential and operative in the pragmatic
demands of the body to experience realities in the world.

2. Cite 1 concrete example of how the society plays an important role in molding our
concept of the self. (10 points)

It is without a doubt that human beings are crucially relative to the environment and the
elements which constitute it; thus, we can say that we are innately social. The society which is
deliberately composed of various distinct individuals has created a concrete relationship with it
wherein one is being influenced by the other and vice versa. This great social body, in its
simultaneous advancement, has incorporated itself not only with the development of human
dependence but also in the enlightenment of the self. Therefore, society became essential
participators towards the concept of the self. The concept of the self is the personal indication of
one’s belief or disposition towards themselves. With these, it can’t be ignored that as social
beings, there would be no solid extent to which we can evaluate ourselves by our own means
adn resources; in these cases, the society is a major substance in understanding it. In light of
 Daniel Scott G. Lagmay 1st Year-BS BIO 1

this understanding, how can society concern our individualistic views upon ourselves? It would
be reasonable to showcase a concrete example. Think about your younger, simple childhood
years. In this sense, we are immensely founded in our families. Our imperfect ignorance
towards the world as children had been covered by our closest peers, the family as they share
their life with us as we grow up. Think about how the disciplines and the values that your
parents taught you seriously affect how you perceive yourself and animate it with others. When
there are visitors and adults in such an environment, there will be children who will groom
themselves, become polite and well-mannered. There are also some who will not even care at
all. Think about how the parents introduce and engage their children to different sets of abilities,
talents, and skills that they can take their interest in. Such matters like playing sports,
tendencies on musical instruments, academic activities, art and creativity and etc. had
significant input on how self-concept is realized even in our childhood. Some children will be
more inclined towards academic readings rather than physical activity and sports; while some
will be more situated with drawings and calligraphy than school academics. Somewhat through
the significant exploration of the sense of capabilities and potentials, individuals began to
evaluate themselves in such a way that is definite for themselves. It is with relevance that
society shapes our disposition about ourselves to the extent to which we interact with it. In the
example given above, the family, which is the basic unit of society, plays a role in the context of
culture. The family is the foundation of our personal upbringing and cultural inclination. The
culture of the family, as well as the values they incorporate nurture our development as
individuals growing up. Without the presence of families being the foundation of our self, it
would be a harsh path for us to gain personal development.

3. Create a simple illustration depicting how both the material and non-material culture
affect the formation and development of an individual. (10 points)

Material Culture Non-Material Culture

Truly, the material culture influences the fabrication of an
individual in its very sense. As we know, every human being is
culturally dependent. Its distinct development in the course of
reality will always be inclined to the impact of culture as it was
shared in society. In this matter, the material culture plays a
prominent role as it is the most accessible product of
interaction not only within ourselves but also in the greater
realm of society. Material culture is the objects, resources, and
spaces which tend to be realized from learned patterns. This
means that almost everything that surrounds an individual can
be subjected to the motive of culture and change. The
architectures, phenomena, objects, and forms that we see
around us are the very substance for the inception and
formation of one’s identity and disposition on things. Without it,
there would be no distinct manifestation of interactions and
relationships between an individual and the larger whole.
There would be no single point of contact between beings and
the things around them; people wouldn’t be able to utilize,
consume, cultivate, and produce these physical aspects to the
extent of their life. Therefore, individuals will not be able to
survive.
An individual is inherently capable to distinguish, assimilate,
and express meanings deeper than the concrete actualities of
things given the inclusive growth of their human experience. In
this sense, the non-material culture has never been more
essential as it is to ourselves. This non-physical aspect of
human culture seems to be more attached to the personal
development of beings because in the groundwork of this
social system comes the essence of the roles of abstract and
metaphysical senses. The non-material culture that involves
values, norms, beliefs, and organizations are crucial when it
comes to a societal equilibrium. They are fundamentally
included in the social rules and control in which every
individual is no exception. In the absence of getting the
abstracts and conceptions behind the things in society, there is
really no sophistication in the understanding of humans. Even
groups of people wouldn’t be able to communicate and interact
without the view of interpretations. Without non-material
culture, an individual can never obtain an intrinsic
understanding and generate a sensible perspective about the
essence of the materials that is ought to be the breakthrough
for personal development.
Daniel Scott G. Lagmay 1st Year-BS BIO 1

4. Choose 1 Psychological perspective and explain it using a diagram. Put a brief

explanation below your diagram.( 10 points)

Psychodynamic Perspective on the Self

deliberately focuses on the unconscious and conscious domain in the

mind of individuals being the foreground of any human behavior

paved way to the development

of

Psychoanalytic Theory (Sigmund Freud)

Freud suggested human behavior is heavily influenced by
the multi-layered structure of the mind.

3 Fundamental Structure of the Mind

Id Ego Superego

-asserts an instinctive and -incorporation and -the component which is inclined

principal role in due of conflict development of the moral towards dealing with the realities.
interaction standards and social rules -in this sense, it operates
-functions in the unconscious -allocated to the “conscience” pragmatically and in a sensible way
domain of the mind of the mind - is viewed to be the “self” which
-pertains to the instant urges -focuses on the surfacing the functions to balance the conflict
towards satisfying basic sense of right or wrong given between the aggressive nature of
needs and desires the scenarios therein the id and the moral control of the
superego in the reality context.

Example: Example: Example:

Imagine that you’re in a
restaurant with your friend
wherein you have the feeling
of thirst. Instead of waiting for
the waiter to give you water,
the id side of you will
impulsively drink the water
from your friend’s.
Dwelling upon the same
scenario, after your id has
drunk your friend’s water,
your conscience began to
stimulate and actually feel
morally bad about the action.
In the recurrence of the scenario, your
ego would interfere between whether “I
will get my friend’s water. I don’t care”
(id) or “getting his water is inappropriate”
(superego.) Your ego will direct tension
made by the id and make the sacrifice for
delayed gratification. As a result, you will
wait for the waiter to give you the water..

Sigmund Freud’s works deepen the realization of the self as a matter of cognitive construct.
Within the scope of his Psychodynamic lenses to understand the rationale behind the human
mind and its potentials, the Psychoanalytic Theory was founded. In light of his works, he
believed that the personality of a human is deeply-rooted in the internal interaction and conflicts
Daniel Scott G. Lagmay 1st Year-BS BIO 1

that function on the mind. Specifically, these parts of the mind are as follows: id as the primary
process which serves to impulsively respond to the urges, basic physical needs, and desires;
superego as the morally driven thinking that considers the sense of right and wrong in
scenarios; and ego which aims to equate both the nature of id and superego with the realistic
approach in the world. In a collective sense, the overlapping psychological conflicts among them
influences and shapes the personality and behavior of a human.

5. Compare and contrast the Western and Eastern concept of the self. (10 points)

At the core of philosophy lies a deep-rooted pursuit of an understanding and generalizations

about the existential beings in the real world. A lot of infamous philosophers have cultivated
numerous questions, realizations, problems, and understanding that seem to be relevant in the
sense of discovering the self. Controversy in such matter spontaneously arose when the
profound and prominent philosophies have arrived in such extremes of perspectives about the
self. However, the similarities and distinctions therein might be powerful to convey a clear
concept of the self. First of all, two enormous schools of thought, Western and Eastern
perspectives, were established in history on the grounds of modeling the comprehension of the
self. Though these two are majorly defined and are heavily sophisticated, it can’t be ignored that
there are concepts and ideas which are congruent to its relevance while others oppose its
principles. Most discussions, however, lies on the variance between the concepts that brought
about these philosophies. Western and Eastern perspectives have incurred different realizations
in such a matter. The Eastern views, for example, expound the self in a way that centers on a
collective apprehension of individuals upon finding the essence of life. It means that the
relations between every individual and their communal performances and thoughts are crucial
as it defines a great understanding of life and its closeness to us as humans. In this sense, all
people are coherent in such a way that matters to the general enlightenment of beings. It’s like
the sense of finding the greater whole by the congruence of its pieces. In this case, also, the
understanding of the Easterners dwells on the fact that everything that surrounds a being is
consequently relevant thus imposing a holistic point of view. Well, this idea is not entirely agreed
upon from the Eastern perspectives. Their views rely on the value of the self as an individual,
abstracted from the world, and is the fundamental avenue for discovering the meaning of its
existence. Westerner's understanding focuses on the fragments of individual events that are
independent of their impact on that of a being. This kind of concept agrees on the presence of
the self as a substance of understanding. On the other hand, the Eastern notions deny the value
of the self and are focused on the greater participation of beings to the essence of life.

Another contradiction tackles how life proceeds and the occurrence that seems to give its
meaning. In the thoughts of Eastern philosophy, life is a journey that exemplifies a cosmological
unity that can be attained beyond the realities of life. Life centers on a circular process that is
dependent on eternal recurrence as its foundation of the essence. Therefore, this understanding
is positioned on a spiritual apprehension. The thoughts on Western philosophy nevertheless see
life as a center of service to others. It is rooted in the fulfillment of its contribution to a Divine
Being, the fellow humans, and other elements as well. With these, life ought to be a linear
journey of beings, where finding the self starts and ends at some point. It also doesn’t rely on
the eternal context of realization and the recurrence of things but it is more of a rational and
Daniel Scott G. Lagmay 1st Year-BS BIO 1

scientific approach towards life; thus, Western views act in a pragmatic and logical sense.
Relating to this conflict, Eastern views suggest that the pinnacle of personal development lies
within an inner undertaking. The internal discipline that resides within every individual is a vital
component on the realization of self. Contrastingly, Western views reflect personal development
concerning the elements that play outside the world. For instance, success and accomplishment
bear an external substance in the form of entitlement, wealth, authority, etc.

Major oppositions between these two philosophies may distinctively overlap each other,
however, there are some points which both schools of thought have expressed definitely. Within
the core of Western and Eastern views underlies a fundamental pursuit of one’s meaningful
existence. It can’t be argued that these opposing perspectives are also relative in such a
manner. Both of them are integrated to mainly find the essence of life for the good of every
being. Therefore, both are focused on the entirety of human beings. With these, Western and
Eastern views on self are parallel in the sense that these perspectives historically aims to
determine the complete truth in light of the confusions that voided early thinkers. Though the
Western uses a scientific approach while Eastern uses a spiritual approach, the goal still reveals
that the truth is primary as it is. Besides, both perspectives believed that every human, in its
inception, carries an innate knowledge within which only needs to be acted upon to be pursued
in the extent of life. The inherent knowledge also implies the value of virtue that is instilled in the
core of everyone’s life. Both views also complement the meaning of good, being an essential
consequence, and bad being the presence of pain. The virtue itself becomes a guiding principle
for the Western and Eastern views to actualize the process of self- realization.