RIZAL TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Cities of Mandaluyong and Pasig

SESSION NO. 1 / WEEK NO. 1

MODULE NO.: THE PHILOSOPHY OF SELF

The Self from Various Perspectives

 Philosophy
 Eastern
1. Hinduism
2. Buddhism
3. Confucianism
 Western
1. Socrates
2. Plato
3. Aristotle
4. Rene Descartes
5. David Hume
6. John Locke
7. Sigmund Freud
 Sikolohiyang Pilipino

Overview

The self is sometimes understood as a unified being essentially integrated to our

consciousness or awareness. Various concepts and meanings of self have been
examined.
Various Philosophies from Western and Eastern philosophers have been proposed to
shed light for better understanding of one’s self.

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Study Guide

 Lecture

Group discussions on similarities/differences of self-representations and conceptualizations and the

various identified influences

Learning Outcomes

1. Evaluate the different Eastern and Western philosophical thoughts

2. Explain construction of the self-based on anthropological, sociological, and psychological perspectives
3. Review the individual, social, cultural dimensions that impact the development of the self
4. Develop a personal philosophy of the self

Topic Presentation

The Philosophy of self

 Philosophy of self refers to the conditions of identity that make

the individual distinct from all others.
 Self-knowledge Refers one’s knowledge and understanding
of one’s own learning’s, characters, motivations and capabilities.
 Self-activity is defined as an independent and self-determined action
of one person
 Self-independent of the senses refers to the inner self.
 Self-identity is the particular characteristics of the self that determines
individual’s uniqueness among others.
 Self-image is a mental picture of an individual and is quite resistant to
change through time regarding one’s abilities, personality and role

THE EASTERN PHILOSOPHY OF SELF

 HINDU PHILOSOPHY OF SELF (1500B.C)

Hindu believe that the self is made up of two aspects: Atman (self-soul) means
essence, breath or soul. It means “real self” of the individual , the innermost
essence of the soul of the person.

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Hinduism considered Atman as eternal; imperishable, beyond times. It is

deifferent from the body or mind or consciousness and accept it as spiritual self-
concept for the Hindus (Dalal, 2010).
Atman is the true self that lies at the inner core of human identities and it is only
the inner core that is identical with God. The self-identity of a person can be
compared to that of onion with various layes. The outer layer of our identities
involve common sense of views of ourselves that we experience. The inner
layer involves the self-God within each of us and sees the underlying unity of the
world (Dalal,2010).
Brahman connotes the highest Universal Principle , the Ultimate Reality in the
universe. In major schools of Hindu philosophy, it is the material, efficient, formal
and final cause of all that exists. It is the pervasive, genderless, , infinite, eternal
truth and bliss which does not change, yet is cause of all changes. Brahman as a
metaphysical concept of the single bonding unity behind diversity in all that exists
in the universe (Lochtefeld,2002)

Buddhist Philosophy of Self ( 5th century B.C.E to the present)

Buddha’s teaching of self is to understand the nature of self which is a
combination of five aggregates of existence known as the FIVE SKANDHAS or
the FIVE HEAPS.

1. FORM – physical form

2. SENSATION – feelings, both emotional and physical and senses (5senses)
3. PERCEPTION – thinking including conceptualization, cognition, reasoning,
recognition
4. MENTAL FORMATION – habits, prejudices and pre-disposition, human volition,
attention, faith, conscientiousness, pride, desire, vindictiveness, virtues and non
virtuous
5. CONSCIOUSNESS – awareness or sensitivity to an object but without
conceptualization

CONFUCIAN PHILOSOPHY (551 B.C – 479 B.C)

The human adult self, in Confucianism is defined as an achieved state of moral
excellence rather than a given human condition and there are several
implications to such an understanding.
For Confucianism, in other words, being a human is no different from being an
animal.
The true human condition is achieved in life, if it is indeed being achieved,
through the practice of the virtues. Virtue is behavior showing high moral
standards.
What takes precedence in the writings of Confucius is that of personality –
personality as such is not seen as inherently existing but as something that is

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formed through upbringing and environment. In that human being is seen as a

social being/social animal for some.
Accordingly, every person is born with four beginnings, which do not encapsulate
a concept of self as yet but which together, (western framework of thinking may
be called as “PRE_SELF or POTENTIAL SELF”
HEART OF COMPASSION – leads to JEN
HEART OF RIGHTEOUSNESS – leads to Yi
HEART OF PROPRIETY – leads to LI
HEART OF WISDOM – leads to CHIH
JEN, Yi, LI, CHIH are perfection of virtues that exist in the human heart from
beginning as potentials. As self, would develop out of these and develop through
practice of corresponding virtues.
PERSONALITY, in Confucian perception, is an achieved state of MORAL
EXCELLENCE rather than a given human condition.
CONFUCIANISM – the self can never be static.
-To be human means to develop and to keep pursuing the
virtues. Conscious effort or decision
The dynamic has integrated into the nature of self and has become the self. It
has become an unconscious way of being (Hobson 2005).

THE WESTERN PHILOSOPHY

 Socrates: The First Moral Philosopher (470-399 B.C.E)

Socrates believes that to understand the self is “to know they self”
Plato -student “DIALOGUE”
SOCRATIC METHOD – through the dialogue between the soul and itself or
between a student and his teacher. Without this work on oneself, life is worthless
according to Socrates.

 Aristotle: Father of Western Philosophy (384-322 B.C.E)

The SELF is made up of the soul which is the core essence of a living being
which is not separated from the body. The SOUL is the one that acts within the
body.
THREE KINDS OF SOUL (“psyche”):
The VEGETATIVE SOUL -it can grow and nourish itself
The SENSITIVE SOUL – it can experience sensations and move locally
The RATIONAL SOUL – unique part of human

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- Its ability to receive forms of other things and to compare them using the nous
(intellect) and logos (reason) (Zalta 2016)

For Aristotle, the soul is the form of living being. Because all beings are composites
of form and matter, the form of living beings is that which endows them with what is
specific to living beings

 Rene Descartes (1596-1650)

SELF – is a thinking person

“COGITO ERGO SUM” (I think therefore I am) He stressed that the mind is a
substance within the brain capable of thinking (affirming, doubting, judging etc)
The self then is regarded as the one that makes us aware to perceive the external
world. Descartes emphasized the notion of self which is made of consciousness that
forms our thinking and guides our behavior. It is the self that perceives the world.

 David Hume: Scottish Empiricist (1711-1776)

The SELF is nothing more than the mental perception which are available in our
memory. This PERCEPTION relies on our previous experiences that give meaning
based on the principles of cause and effect. We view things as distinct but they are
connected together by resemblance , contiguity or caution. All Perceptions of the
mind is divided into distinct kinds, the IMPRESSIONS and IDEAS.
IMPRESSIONS are the original form of all our ideas.
Hume said that the MIND is simple a bonded of perceptions and experiences linked
by the relations of cautions and resemblance.

 John Locke: English Empirical Philosopher (1632-1704)

The SELF can be understood by examining one’s mind, what constitute the mind.
Locke stressed that minds consist of MEMORY where our consciousness (thoughts,
experiences) resides. Locke suggests that the self (consciousness) is a thinking,
intelligent being, that has reason and reflection and continuous to define one’s
personal Identity. Thus, the self can be equated with one personal identity.
This CONSCIOUSNESS determines oneself that continues to grow and develop
through tough times that form our personal identity. MEMORY therefore is a
necessary condition of Personal Identity.

 Sigmund Freud: Drive Theory of Self (1856-1939)

Perhaps Freud's single most enduring and important idea was that the human
psyche (personality) has more than one aspect.

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Freud's personality theory (1923) saw the psyche structured into three parts
(i.e., tripartite), the id, ego and superego, all developing at different stages in
our lives. These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical.
instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and
hidden memories, the super-ego operates as a moral conscience, and the
ego is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the
super-ego.

The Id, which works on the PLEASURE PRINCIPLE,

is the seat of our, passion, desires, and other instinctual drives like our bodily needs,
want and impulses.
Ex. Sexual and aggressive drives
THE EGO seeks to please the Id drives in realistic way. It is also the ego that
regulates the action.
Ex. We can resist urges of stealing money from others but instead we work to earn
money.
The SUPER EGO, works on the morality principle, is the seat of what is right or
wrong – as it reflects the internalization of cultural rules set by the guidance and
influence of our parents.
The THREE LAYERS of the SELF interact with each other. The EGO meditate
between the ID and SUPEREGO and whichever dominates from the other 2
structures, the ego will act in reality. This is how ourself determines our
PERSONALITY.

 SIKOLOHIYANG PILIPINO : VIRGILIO ENRIQUEZ (1942-1994

The Philippines also has a home grown psycho-philosophical view of the self. This
view was developed by Virgilio Enriquez, who is considered as the Father of
Sikolohiyang Pilipino.
The Self in the Filipino is the Unity of the Self and others expressed in the Filipino
word KAPWA.
CONCEPT OF SELF and OTHERS – he proposed the idea that concept of self or (-
personhood, can be centered on the core values expressed in the word KAPWA).
KAPWA – is the concept of how every Filipino thinks, behaves, and relates with
others. Kapwa doesn’t only mean others but the shared inner self of a person.
Enriquez points out that when a Filipino says the word KAPWA (it shows the essence
of sharing, seeing and caring the others as one self. It is then, that the Filipino

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concept of Self can be identified with the unity of his inner self. (Oneself) and outer
self (others) expressed in the word KAPWA.

 Filipino word MAGALANG is a concept that can describe a person’s oneself.

This concept was developed because of what others think of him.

Guided Exercises / Learning

Activities/Assignment/Assessment

Quiz

References

Tomas, R., Sanchez T., Paragas, E., Perez, N., Marasigan, B., Miranda, M., Cortez, L.,
Montalbo, A., Espiritu, A.,. Understanding the Self.

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