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Course Code and Title: GE 101 – Understanding the Self

Lesson Number: Lesson 1 (Week 2)
Topic: Ancient Philosophical Perspective of the Self
INTRODUCTION:
This chapter gives a background of what philosophy is and an overview of the ancient
philosophical perspective of the self to assist students in identifying one’s self- to gain self-
knowledge. The different views of prominent ancient philosophers regarding the nature of the
self are discussed. Whereas there are differences in how philosophers see the self, most of
them concur that self-knowledge could be a prerequisite to a cheerful and important life.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
 Identify the prominent ancient Greek philosophers that contributed to the
understanding of the self;
 Develop your philosophy of the self;
 Discuss the different concepts of the self from the ancient philosophical perspective;
 Explain the role and reasoning of philosophy in understanding the concept of self;
and
 Describe and differentiate the ancient philosophical perspective of the self form one
another.

PRE-ASSESSMENT:
Read carefully and answer the following question.
 What is Philosophy?

PRE-ACTIVITY:
Write a 3-paragraph essay answering the question, "Who Am I?"
(Write your answer on a ½ sheet crosswise of yellow pad paper)
Time limit: 10 minutes
LESSON PRESENTATION:

Know thyself.
- Socrates
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Philosophy utilizes the curious intellect to find the causes, reasons, and standards of
everything. It goes past logical examination by investigating all ranges of information such as
religion, psychology, politics, physics, and even medicine. Subsequently, the etymological
definition of philosophy "love of wisdom” may relate to the craving for truth by defining never-
ending questions to supply answers to every inquiry around the nature of human existence.
The nature and understanding of the self is a topic of interest among philosophers.

The philosophical framework for understanding the self was first introduced by the ancient
great Greek philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Specifically, Socrates proposes:
“Know thyself." But what precisely does “Know thyself" mean? What is self and the qualities
that characterize it?

SOCRATES: AN UNEXAMINED LIFE IS NOT WORTH LIVING

Socrates was one of the primary ancient Greek

philosophers. He considered that the self is
equivalent to the soul and that each human has an
immortal soul that survives the physical body. He
was the first to focus on the total control of reason
on the human self, who we are, who we should be,
and who we will become. Socrates proposed that
reality comprises of two dichotomous realms:
physical and ideal realms. According to him, the physical realm is changeable, transient,
and imperfect. Whereas the ideal realm is fixed, eternal, and endless. The physical world in
which the individual lives belong to the physical realm. For Socrates, the body of the
individual belongs to the physical realm. On the other hand, the constant, eternal, perfect
realm incorporates the intellectual essences of the universe, concepts such as truth,
goodness, and beauty. The soul belongs to the ideal realm.

For Socrates the essence of the self –the soul—is the immortal entity. The soul of the
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individual strives for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul's instrument to achieve
this glorious state. But then as long as the soul is connected to the body, the pursuit for
wisdom is repressed by the imperfection of the physical realm, where it drifts and is
confused. Socrates thus proposes that man should live an examined life and a life of reason
and value that’s why he said an unexamined life is not worth living. The individual can have a
significant and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the importance of himself
that can be attained through persistent soul-searching. The individual must start at the
foundation of all knowledge and significance—the self. One way of carefully examining one’s
thoughts and emotions is through the Socratic method or introspection.

PLATO: THE SELF IS AN IMMORTAL SOUL

Another ancient Greek philosopher, Plato, expounded

on Socrates' notion of the soul. Like Socrates, Plato
accepts that the self is equivalent with the soul. His
philosophy can be clarified as a process of self-
knowledge and purification of the soul. Particularly, he
presents the idea of a three-part soul/self: reason,
physical appetite, and spirit or passion.

First is Reason, he considered it as the divine essence

that enables us to think significantly, make wise and
intelligent choices, and fulfill a genuine understanding of eternal truths. Second is physical
appetite, it incorporates our basic biological needs, such as starvation, thirst, and sexual
desire. And the third is the spirit or passion it integrates basic emotions such as love,
anger, ambition, aggressiveness, and empathy. These three elements or components of our
selves are in a dynamic relationship with one another, sometimes in conflict. When conflict
happens, Plato believes it is the obligation of reason to sort things out and exert control,
restoring a harmonious relationship among the three components of our selves.
Additionally, Plato believes that genuine happiness can only be accomplished by people who
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constantly make certain that their reason is in control of their Spirits and Appetites. This
harmonious integration under the control of reason is the core of Plato's concept of justice.
As such, if a man lives according to his nature, he is giving justice to his existence.

Having described his vision of the soul/self, Plato expounds his thoughts about the soul. In
his Theory of Forms, he presents the concepts of the two worlds: the world of forms (non-
physical ideas) and the world of sense (reality). The world of forms is considered to be real
and permanent, on the other hand, the world of sense is temporary and only a replica of the
ideal world. According to Plato, the world of sense is dependent on the ideal world where the
concept of the soul belongs. Since the soul is regarded as something permanent, a man
should give more significance to it than the physical body which resides in the world of
sense.

ARISTOTLE: THE SOUL IS THE ESSENCE OF THE SELF

The ancient Greek philosopher, Aristotle,

accepts that the soul is merely a set of
defining features and does not consider
the body and soul separate entities. He
proposes that anything with life has a soul;
Aristotle holds that the soul is the essence
of all living things. Hence, the soul is the
essence of the self. However, humans
vary from other living things because of
their capacity for rational thinking. His
discussion about the self-centers on the kinds of souls possessed by man.

Thus, he presents the three types of souls: vegetative, sentient, and rational. The vegetative
soul includes the physical body that can grow. The conscious soul includes sensual
desires, feelings, and emotions. The rational soul is what makes man human. It comprises
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of the intellect that allows man to know and understand things. Thus, Aristotle proposes that
the rational nature of the self is to lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life (self-
actualization). The pursuit of happiness is a search for a good experience that includes doing
virtuous actions. He sets that part of the rational soul is characterized by moral virtues such
as justice and courage.

SUMMARY:

Who Am I? A simple question would present a thousand answers, yet it had been a question
that most of the classic philosophers seek to answer.

Philosophy is considered the "love of wisdom" or the desire for truth by formulating never-
ending questions to provide answers to every inquiry about the nature of human existence. It
goes past logical examination by investigating all ranges of information such as religion,
psychology, politics, physics, and even medicine.

Three prominent ancient Greek Philosophers gave their own opinions and ideas on what
constitutes the self. First is Socrates, he suggested the phrase "know thyself" because,
according to him, an unexamined life is not worth living. The person can have a meaningful
and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the value himself. He believed that
every human possesses an immortal soul that survives the physical body and that reality
consists of two dichotomous realms: the physical realm is changing, transient, and imperfect,
it is where our body belongs; on the other hand the ideal realm is unchanging, eternal, and
perfect, this is where our soul resides. The soul strives for wisdom and perfection, but then,
as long as the soul is tied to the body, the quest for wisdom is inhibited by the physical
realm's imperfection.

Next is Plato, like Socrates. He believes that the self is synonymous with the soul. He
presents the idea of a three-part soul/self: reason, physical appetite, and spirit or passion.
These three elements or components of our selves are in a dynamic relationship with one
another, sometimes in conflict. When conflict happens, Plato believes it is the obligation of
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reason to sort things out and exert control, restoring a harmonious relationship among the
three components of our selves.

Lastly, Aristotle proposes that anything with life has a soul, and it is the essence of the self.
Human’s capacity for rational thinking separates them from other living things. He introduced
the three kinds of souls: vegetative, sentient, and rational soul. Aristotle proposes that the
rational nature of the self is to lead a good, flourishing, and fulfilling life (self-actualization).

APPLICATION # 1:
You may browse your notes and module to aid in answering the following activity.

Reflection – Essay (20 points)

Instruction: In not more than 8 sentences for each number, write an essay on the ancient
philosophical perspective of the self. Consider the following statements/questions in writing
your essay.

1. Explain how each ancient philosophy of the self impacts your understanding of the
self. (5 points each – 15 points)
2. Which ancient philosophy relates to your own belief? (5 points)

ACTIVITY/EVALUATION # 1:
This is a closed module activity. Please observe honesty.

Identification (1 point each – 10 points)

Instruction: Analyze each statement and identify whether the given statement is from
Socrates, Plato, or Aristotle.
Time limit: 10 minutes

1. He suggested that life has a soul.

2. He introduced the idea of a three-part soul/self.
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3. He was the first to focus on the full power of reason on the human self.
4. There are two dichotomous realms: the physical and ideal realm.
5. He also believes that the self is synonymous with the soul.
6. The soul is only a set of defining features and does not consider the body and soul as
separate entities.
7. There are three kinds of souls: vegetative, sentient, and rational.
8. The cornerstone of his philosophy is “Know Thyself.”
9. His philosophy can be explained as a process of self-knowledge and purification of
the soul.
10. He believes that every human possesses an immortal soul.

REINFORCEMENT/ASSIGNMENT # 1:
You may browse your notes and module to aid in answering the following activity.

Reflection – Essay (5 points each – 10 points)

Instruction: In not more than 5 sentences for each number, write an essay regarding the
following statement/question.

1. What is your philosophy of the self?

2. Describe who you are, the meaning of your life, its purpose, and how to achieve a
happy and successful life.

REMINDER:
 Do advance reading of module # 2 in Understanding the Self entitled Modern
Philosophical Perspective of the Self.

ONLINE RESOURCES:
 https://www.irishtimes.com/polopoly_fs/1.2317082.1439551440!/image/
image.jpg_gen/derivatives/box_620_330/image.jpg
 https://render.fineartamerica.com/images/rendered/default/poster/8/10/break/images-
medium-5/statue-of-plato-george-atsametakis.jpg
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 https://www.history.com/.image/ar_16:9%2Cc_fill%2Ccs_srgb%2Cfl_progressive
%2Cg_faces:center%2Cq_auto:good%2Cw_768/
MTU3ODc5MDgyOTM5NDU4ODg5/aristotle-at-university-of-thessaloniki-greece.jpg

REFERENCE:
 Go-Monilla, M.J. & Ramirez, N. (2018). Understanding the Self. C & E Publishing,
Inc.