1 Module 1| CONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHO AM I?

2 Module 1| CONCEPT AND NATURE OF SELF: WHO AM I?

PROGRAM OUTCOMES
In pursuance of the above-stated mission, the objectives of the College of Teacher Education are as follows:
a. explain the English language system, history and development comprehensively;
b. communicate effectively, fluently and creatively using the English language in any cultural and social
setting;
c. facilitate learning of the English language;
d. work efficiently in any setting across the globe;
e. display proficiency in job placement interviews;
f. participate in discussion with various language systems; and
g. produce well-written texts for research, academic and professional purposes.

COURSE TITLE UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

COURSE DESCRIPTION
The course deals with the nature of identity, as well as the factors and forces that affect the development
and maintenance of personal identity.

This course is intended to facilitate the exploration of the issues and concerns regarding self and identity
to arrive at a better understanding of one’s self. It strives to meet this goal by stressing the integration of the
personal with the academic-contextualizing matters discussed in the classroom and in the everyday
experiences of students-making for better learning, generating a new appreciation for the learning process, and
developing a more critical and reflective attitude while enabling them to manage and improve their selves to
attain a better quality of life.

The course is divided into three major parts: The first part seeks to understand the construct of the self
from various disciplinal perspectives: philosophy, sociology, anthropology, and psychology-as well as the more
traditional division between the East and West-each seeking to provide answers to the difficult but essential
question of “What is the self?” And raising, among others, the question: “Is there even such a construct as the
self”.

The second part explores some of the various aspects that make up the self, such as the biological and
material up to and including the more recent Digital Self. The third and final part identifies three areas of concern
for young students: learning, goal setting, and managing stress. It also provides for the more practical
application of the concepts discussed in this course and enables them the hands-on experience of developing
self-help plans for self-regulated learning, goal setting, and self-care.

COURSE OUTCOMES
In this course, you should be able to:
1. discuss the different representations and conceptualizations of the self from various disciplinal
perspectives;
2. compare and contrast how the self has been represented across different disciplines and perspectives;
3. examine the different influences, factors, and forces that shape the self;
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4. demonstrate critical and reflective thought in analyzing the development of one’s self and identity by
developing a theory of the self;
5. explore the different aspects of self and identity;
6. demonstrate critical, reflective thought in integrating the various aspects of self and identity;
7. identify the different forces and institutions that impact the development of various aspects of self and
identity;
8. examine one’s self against the different aspects of self-discussed in class;
9. understand the theoretical underpinnings for how to manage and care for different aspects of the self;
10. acquire and hone new skills and learning for better managing of one’s self and behaviors;
11. apply these new skills to one’s self and functioning for a better quality of life.

INTRODUCTION
This module will explain the nature, concept, and meaning of the self from different perspectives:
philosophical, biblical, psychological, sociological, anthropological, western and eastern thought. The nature of
self is a topic of interest among philosophers. Thus, the philosophical explanations of known philosophers were
used to discuss this topic. As a Christian dwelling country, we will also be comparing the Biblical view of the self
while considering the psychological factors in the psychosexual and psychosocial stages of self-development.
We will also consider other areas of discipline like the field of sociology, anthropology and the thoughts of people
in the western and eastern countries that have greatly influenced the self over the course of time in the post-
modern society. The lessons presented in this module will assist you as a student to identify one’s own self- to
gain self-knowledge. It intends to give a wider perspective in understanding the self.

MODULE LEARNING OUTCOMES

In this module, you should be able to:
1. differentiate the various concepts of the self and identify their similarities;
2. discuss the conceptualization and representation of the self from various disciplines and perspectives;
and
3. develop a pleasant and wholesome attitude towards oneself.

LESSON 1 - PHILOSOPHICAL VERSUS BIBLICAL VIEW OF SELF

SPECIFIC LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
1. explain the role of philosophy in understanding the concept of self;
2. discuss the different concepts of the self from the philosophical perspective;
3. differentiate philosophical and biblical views of self;
4. develop your own philosophy of the self.

PRE-ASSESSMENT
Instruction: Choose the letter of your choice.

1. He is known for his theory of forms.

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a. Plato b. Socrates c. Aristotle d. Kant

2. God was the Supreme Being on whom all other beings, that is, all other links in the great chain of being, were
totally dependent.
a. Augustine b. Freud c. Churchland d. Descartes
3. He is famous for this phrase, "I think, therefore I am".
a. Descartes b. Locke c. Kant d. Plato
4. He proposed that human mind at birth is a "tabula rasa".
a. Kant b. Ryle c. Locke d. Socrates
5. He asserted that body is part of the mind and mind is the part of the body, therefore, an embodied
subjectivity.
a. Ponte b. Kant c. Plato d. Hume

LESSON MAP

Philosophical View of Self Biblical/Christian View of Self

1. SOCRATES: Know Yourself Genesis 1:27 says

God created man (self) The
according to His image
2. PLATO: The Self is an immortal Soul

3. IMMANUEL KANT: We Construct the Self Ezekiel 18:4 says

The soul (self) who sins
is the one who will die
4. RENE DESCARTES: I think, therefore I am
(Self is not immortal)

5. JOHN LOCKE: The Self is consciousness

6. DAVID HUME: There is No Self

The map above shows the comparison between the philosophical and biblical view of the self. The
philosophical framework for understanding the self was first introduced by ancient Greek philosophers Socrates
and Plato later then other medieval and modern-day philosophers coined their own theory about the self. The
Bible on the other hand explains the self-according to God’s perspective as the creator of man (self).
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CORE CONTENTS

ENGAGE: LET’S TRY!

Activity 1: Examining Yourself
Instruction: Meditate on the following questions before answering (Note rubrics for essay)
1. How can you describe yourself based on your own perspective or point of view?
2. What aspect of yourself that you like most? Why?
3. What aspect of yourself do you believe you have to improve? Why?

EXPLORE: ACQUISITION OF KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS!

The word "philosophy" comes from the Ancient Greek (philosophia), which literally means "love of
wisdom". It is the study or creation of theories about basic things such as the nature of existence, knowledge,
and thought, or about how people should live. The theoretical background for understanding the self was first
introduced by the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato, who were both popular in the field of
philosophy and are pagan worshippers, thus their belief that the soul won’t die or immortal. The different views
of prominent philosophers regarding the nature of the self are discussed and while there are disagreements on
how philosophers view the self, most of them agree that self-knowledge is a prerequisite to a happy and
meaningful life.

1. SOCRATES
• Famous line “Know thyself”
• Self is synonymous with the soul, and it is an immortal entity
• For him an unexamined life is not worth living
• Socratic Method (introspection)- carefully examining one’s thoughts & emotions to gain self-
knowledge. Thus, an individual can have a meaningful and happy life

2. PLATO
• Self is synonymous with the soul, it is immortal
• Soul has 3parts: Reason, Physical appetite, Spirit/passion
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• Believes that genuine happiness can only be achieved by people who make sure that their
Reason is in control of their Spirits and Appetites

3. RENE DESCARTES
• French philosopher, Father of modern philosophy
• Famous line “Cogito ergo sum” (Latin phrase) also means “I think, therefore I am”
• Self is a conscious, thinking entity that doubts, understands, questions, analyzes and reasons

4. IMMANUEL KANT
• German philosopher
• The self-constructs its own reality, creates a familiar, predictable and its own world
• His rule: respect others as you would respect yourself

5. JOHN LOCKE
• English philosopher
• Human mind at birth is tabula rasa a blank slate
• Believes that the self is consciousness because conscious awareness and memory of
previous experiences are keys to understanding the self
• Self or personal identity is constructed primarily from sense experiences—what people see,
hear, smell, taste and feel

6. DAVID HUME
• Scottish philosopher
• Believes that there is NO self, what people experience is just a bundle or collection of different
perceptions
• The idea of personal identity is a result of imagination

BIBLICAL VIEW OF SELF

The Holy Scriptures acknowledged as the greatest book of all times because of its antiquity, its total
circulation, the number of languages into which it has been translated, its surpassing greatness as a literary
masterpiece, and its overwhelming importance to mankind. According to the Bible, we read at Genesis 1:27
“And God went on to create the man (self) in his image, in God’s image he (self) created him…”. What does it
mean when God said he created man (the self) in his image? It means that when God created human being,
he bestowed him with the same characteristics that he possesses such as love, wisdom, justice and strength.
You would agree that these attributes are evident in each of us in any situation we come to face every day. The
bible also clearly tells us that the soul is not immortal it means the self will die. The record at Ezekiel 18:4b
“…The soul (self) who sins is the one who will die” contradicts what most philosophers believed as to the soul
(self) being immortal. Undoubtedly, the bible as God’s word, does not support the idea of ancient philosophers.

Activity 2: Johari Window

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Instruction: Fill out the four boxes below with the needed information.

Activity 3: Yes, I Agree, No I beg to disagree

Instruction: Identify the philosopher who proposed the particular view of Self in the first column. Then examine
your personal view about the nature of self and indicate whether you agree or disagree and support your answer
by giving your reason in the last column. (Note: you can do a little research about the following philosophical
views)

Philosophical views of Philosopher Agree or Disagree Reasons why you

self agree or disagree
An unexamined life is
not worth living

Self is a thinking entity

distinct from the body

Self is only a result of

imagination

Self is the soul and

immortal
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Personal identity is
founded on
consciousness

Self creates its own

reality

EXPLAIN: WHAT YOU HAVE LEARNED!

Activity 4: Let’s explain
Instruction: Answer the following questions below to the best of your understanding.
1. How would you describe yourself?
2. Do you love yourself? Why or why not?
3. What are you most thankful for in life?
4. What are the biggest and most important things you have learned in life so far?

TOPIC SUMMARY
In this lesson, you have learned about:
▪ Two major lenses, the philosophical and biblical views, through which one can understand the concept
and nature of the self.
▪ In the first perspective, which is focused on the abstract self, most philosophers believe that a person
is more than his/her physical aspect.
▪ Meanwhile, in the bible’s view, a person is God’s creation a product of his many good qualities such as
love.
▪ It is important for you to explore yourself and not just limit your understanding to those that are given to
you.

REFERENCES
Books:
▪ Brawner, D.G., Arcega, A.F. (2018). Understanding the Self. C&E Publishing, Inc. 839 EDSA, South
Triangle, Quezon City.
▪ Go-Monilla, M.J.A., Ramirez, N.C. (2018). Understanding the Self. C&E Publishing. Quezon City.
▪ New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures (2013). Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of
Pennsylvania. 100 Watchtower Drive Patterson, NY12563-9204 USA.