ACTIVITY 2: PHILOSOPHY OF THE SELF

Name: Eleuterio, Arvin Kier G.

Yr. & Section: 2 CE - B

Let’s Reflect

Direction: Answer the following questions below.

1. What is your Philosophy in life?

My philosophy in life recently centers on the school of thought of “Stoicism which
is an ancient Greek school of philosophy founded at Athens by Zeno of Citium. It
is a philosophy of life that maximizes positive emotions, reduces negative
emotions and helps individuals to hone their virtues of character. The single most
important practice in Stoic philosophy is differentiating between what we can
change and what we can’t change. What we have influence over and what we
do not.
For instance, Addicts cannot change the abuse suffered in childhood. They
cannot undo the choices they have made or the hurt they have caused. But they
can change the future through the power they have in the present moment. As
Epictetus said, they can control the choices they make right now.
If we can focus on making clear what parts of our day are within our control and
what parts are not, we will not only be happier, we will have a distinct advantage
over other people who fail to realize they are fighting an unwinnable battle.

2. How does your philosophy affect the way you live?

The stoic way of life has taught me to value the present moment and to not dwell
on my weaknesses or the likelihood that I will fail, but rather to be positive and
optimistic about myself.
Since before, I've been constantly concerned that I'm not intelligent or
competent enough to accomplish more. But with the guidance of stoicism, I have
discovered how to control my thoughts so that they work for me rather than
against me. The realization that I can accomplish anything I set my mind to if I put
my focus on it has changed the way I view myself. Recently, I've been on a self-
improvement journey, and my goal is to improve in many areas such as physical
health, academics, financial knowledge, and learn as many skills as I can in order
to become the best version of myself.
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3. Who are your top 3 most influential philosophers? State your

reasons why you chose them as your top 3.

Epictetus
Epictetus argues that the foundation of all
philosophy is self-knowledge. The Discourses and
the Enchiridion begin by distinguishing between
those things in our power (prohairetic things) and
those things not in our control (aprohairesis).
Prohairesis allows us to act, and gives us the
freedom that only rational animals have. It is
determined by our reason, which of all our
faculties, sees and tests itself and everything else.
Since I have been following Stoicism recently, my
first philosopher that is influential to my principles
and values is Epictetus, he teaches me to value
self-improvement, maximize positive emotions,
reduce the negative emotions, and always focus on the present moment.

Aristotle
Aristotle believed that our purpose is to pursue our
proper human end, eudaimonia, which is best
understood as human flourishing or living well.
Eudaimonia is not momentary pleasure but
enduring contentment—not just a good day but a
good life.
The second philosopher who has had an impact
on my values is Aristotle. Like Epictetus, Aristotle
talks about "Human Flourishing," which is self-
improvement. On the basis of this premise, he
essentially asserts that the ethical demand on us is
to grow in character and acquire outstanding
ethical insight because from that excellence
would flow good deeds that result in a good life. It is sage to concentrate on
becoming a good person since virtuous behaviors flow from a virtuous person. In
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General, Aristotle instill in me the principle of not giving up, work hard and strive
for greatness until you excel.

Ayn Rand
Russian-American author and philosopher Ayn Rand rejected collectivist values in
favor of individual self-interest, an ideal evident in her first novel We the Living. She
promoted the philosophy of Objectivism, which she describes as "the concept of
man as a heroic being". Her political philosophy placed emphasis on
individualism, the protection of individual rights to life, liberty, property, and limited
government.

There is one quote of Ayn Rand that has been impacted my perception in life,
she says and I quote “A creative man is motivated by the desire to achieve, not
by the desire to beat others” she taught me to stop comparing myself to others,
and work hard to achieve my own success.