UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

ASSIGNMENT 1

Name: Christine L. Repulda

Course/ Year Level: BS Accountancy - 2nd Year

Email Add: repuldachristine0617@gmail.com

Cel#: 09306572169

Discuss Briefly the Life, teachings and works of the following philosophers; (YOU CAN ADD
PICTURES , TO CLEARLY DESCRIBE YOUR ANSWERS)

A. SOCRATES - SOCRATES OF ATHENS (C. 470/469-399 BCE)

LIFE:

He is regarded by many as the father of Western

philosophy with his contributions to the growth of
ancient Greek philosophy. For this reason, he is
referred to as the "Father of Western Philosophy." and
is also the most eccentric of all the Greek philosophers.
He was born and raised in Pericles' Athens during its
heyday, served his country honorably as a soldier, but is
best remembered for his penchant for asking questions
about everything and everyone.

TEACHINGS:

Socrates proclaimed that his only goal was to assist

others in finding the answers to pressing human
questions, such as "What is virtue?" and "What is
justice?" rather than to claim to know anything in
particular.
WORK:

He is best known for his affiliation with the Socratic method of question and answer, his
admission of ignorance (or awareness of his own ignorance), and his assertion that an
unquestioned life is not something that humans should put their lives on the line for.

SOME QOUTES OF SOCRATES:

I am the wisest man alive, for I know one thing, and that is that I know nothing. Socrates I know
that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing. Socrates To know, is to know that you
know nothing. That is the meaning of true knowledge. Socrates Death may be the greatest of all
human blessings. Socrates Once made equal to man, woman becomes his superior.

REFERENCES:

https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/socrates-quotes

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/socrates#:~:text=Viewed%20by%20many
%20as%20the,questioner%20of%20everything%20and%20everyone.

https://iep.utm.edu/socrates/#:~:text=He%20is%20best%20known%20for,worth%20living%2C
%20for%20human%20beings.

https://www.britannica.com/question/What-did-Socrates-teach

B. PLATO (/ˈPLEɪTOƱ/ PLAY-TOE; GREEK: ΠΛΆΤΩΝ PLÁTŌN;

428/427 OR 424/423 – 348/347 BC)

LIFE:

He studied under Socrates and later mentored Aristotle. Many

people consider the Academy, which he founded, to be the first
Western university. At least 25 philosophical works were produced
TEACHING: by Plato. He is credited as one of the founders of Western
philosophy and dedicated his life to learning and instructing.
Plato, like the majority of other ancient philosophers, upholds a virtue-based, eudemonistic
view of ethics. Eudemonia, or happiness or well-being, is the ultimate goal of moral thought
and behavior, and the virtues (arête: "excellence") are the necessary abilities and attitudes to
achieve it. Plato believed that social justice could only be achieved when all social classes in a
society—workers, warriors, and rulers—coexisted peacefully. According to Plato, everyone can
live in peace as long as they are afforded equal educational opportunities from a young age,
allowing them to compete fairly with one another.

WORK:

The Republic, Plato's most well-known work, describes a wise society ruled by a philosopher. He
is also well known for his dialogues (early, middle, and late), which demonstrate his
metaphysical theory of forms. According to the theory of forms, also known as the theory of
ideas, which is generally credited to Plato, the physical world is not as real or true as timeless,
unalterable, unchanging ideas.

Plato Quotes: Plato is credited with coining several phrases that are still popular today. Here
are some of Plato’s most famous quotes:

· “Love is a serious mental disease.”

· “When the mind is thinking it is talking to itself.”

· “Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion and knowledge.”

REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Plato#:~:text=about%20Western
%20philosophy.-,What%20is%20Plato%20known%20for%3F,he%20is%20well%20known%20for

https://learn.saylor.org/mod/book/tool/print/index.php?id=30538

https://www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/plato#:~:text=Plato%20Quotes,-Plato%20is
%20credited&text=%E2%80%9CLove%20is%20a%20serious%20mental%20disease.
%E2%80%9D&text=%E2%80%9CWhen%20the%20mind%20is%20thinking%20it%20is
%20talking%20to%20itself.%E2%80%9D&text=%E2%80%9CHuman%20behavior%20flows\
 https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/plato-ethics/#:~:text=Like%20most%20other%20ancient
%20philosophers,dispositions%20needed%20to%20attain%20it.

C. Augustine was the bishop of Hippo (now Annaba, Algeria) from 396 to 430.

LIFE:

From 396 to 430, Augustine served as the bishop of Hippo

(currently Annaba, Algeria). He was an accomplished preacher and
rhetorician in addition to being a renowned theologian and prolific
writer. He is regarded as a doctor of the church by the Roman
Catholic Church and is one of the Latin Fathers of the Church.

TEACHINGS:

Like the majority of ancient philosophers, Augustine believes that

the human being is a composite of body and soul, and that the soul
—conceived as the source of life as well as the epicenter of
consciousness, perception, and thought—is, or should be, the
governing part within this composite. Augustine believed that God
only chooses certain people to receive His grace, and that without
His assistance, people could not change their sinful ways (Burrell,
2001, p. 888).
WORKS:
After St. Paul, Augustine is arguably the most influential Christian philosopher. He created a
potent theological system that had a long-lasting impact by fusing Christian teaching with
Classical thought. In addition, he helped lay the groundwork for much of medieval and
contemporary Christian thought and shaped the practice of biblical exegesis.
REFERENCES:
https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead/aclk?
sa=L&ai=DChcSEwj_stKAoPP8AhVBQWAKHWzmA2MYABAAGgJ0bQ&ohost=www.google.co
m&cid=CAESbeD2TeK8Q3A228HWRrnv39bIGGeKXRwP0Yu2Bw1sh6GUjJ4ujRVMClHdW5QyU
9tSvc60uZrDSP0H2grQ4pJt0Y1MUWIaNSXhngnWbcoKkojbIjxHov1o5XNoSRfUz3FyA8ewDRA5
IbSoTMoB0_c&sig=AOD64_11aiqh_IMi54KjN0-
NbnZUZTww_w&q&adurl&ved=2ahUKEwiWzsuAoPP8AhVnm1YBHcXOCVIQ0Qx6BAgJEAM
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Augustine
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_of_Hippo
 D. René Descartes (1596–1650)

LIFE:
He was a pioneering metaphysician, a masterful mathematician, and a
significant scientific thinker. He was primarily a mathematician throughout
his life, followed by a natural scientist or "natural philosopher" and a
metaphysician.

TEACHINGS:
Descartes promoted the idea that all people were born with knowledge
thanks to the superior force of God. This idea of innate knowledge was
later refuted by empiricist philosopher John Locke (1632–1704). According
to empiricism, all knowledge is learned through experience.
WORK:
In his day, Descartes was regarded as one of the greatest mathematicians,
the creator of a fresh, all-encompassing theory of nature (which included
living things), and the proponent of a novel metaphysics. His natural
philosophy was widely taught and discussed in the years after his passing.

REFERENCES:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes/#:~:text=Ren%C3%A9%20Descartes
%20(1596%E2%80%931650),second%2C%20and%20a%20metaphysician%20third.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Rene-Descartes
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/descartes-works/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ren%C3%A9_Descartes
https://www.biography.com/scholar/rene-descartes

E. John Locke (1632–1704)

 LIFE:

English philosopher and political theorist John Locke was born in

Wrington, Somerset, in 1632 and passed away in High Laver, Essex,
in 1704. He is credited with being the creator of British empiricism
and the first person to systematically explain and defend political
liberalism.

TEACHINGS:

All people are endowed with natural rights to life, liberty, and
property, according to John Locke's political theory or political
philosophy, and those who fail to uphold those rights may be
overthrown by the people, using force if necessary.

WORK:
One of the most well-known philosophers and political theorists of the 17th century was John
Locke. He is frequently credited with founding the British Empiricism school of thought and with
having contributed significantly to the development of contemporary theories of limited, liberal
government.

REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/John-Locke#:~:text=John%20Locke%20was%20an
%20English,and%20defense%20of%20political%20liberalism.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/locke/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Locke

https://www.history.com/topics/european-history/john-locke
F. David Hume, (born May 7 [April 26, Old Style], 1711, Edinburgh, Scotland—died August 25,
1776, Edinburgh)

LIFE:

A Scottish historian, economist, essayist, and philosopher who is

renowned for his skeptical and empirical philosophy. Philosophy,
according to Hume, is an experimental, inductive study of human
nature.

TEACHINGS:

He places a strong emphasis on altruism, and he traces most of

the moral sentiments present in people to feelings of sympathy
and concern for others. He contends that it is part of human
nature to share in others' laughter and tears as well as to look out
for the welfare of others as well as one's own.

WORK:

Hume worked to establish a naturalistic science of man that

looked at the psychological underpinnings of human nature,
starting with A Treatise of Human Nature (1739–1740). Hume
contended that there are no inborn ideas and that all human
knowledge comes only from experience.

REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/David-Hume#:~:text=David%20Hume%2C%20(born
%20May%207,his%20philosophical%20empiricism%20and%20skepticism.&text=Hume
%20conceived%20of%20philosophy%20as,experimental%20science%20of%20human
%20nature.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/hume/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Hume
G. Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) LIFE:

All subsequent philosophy, especially the various schools of

Kantianism and idealism, was greatly influenced by his
thorough and methodical work in epistemology (the theory of
knowledge), ethics, and aesthetics.

TEACHINGS:

According to Kant, the moral law is a truth of reason, and as a

result, all rational beings are obligated to uphold it.
Consequently, in response to the query, "What should I do?
Kant responds, "We should act logically, in accordance with a
fundamental moral principle.

WORK:

The Critique of Pure Reason, Kant's most well-known work,

was first published in 1781 and later revised in 1787. It is a
treatise that aims to disprove one type of metaphysics and lay
the groundwork for another. The Critique of Practical Reason
(1788) and the Critique of Judgment were among his other
works (1790).

REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Immanuel-Kant#:~:text=Immanuel%20Kant%20was
%20a%20German,schools%20of%20Kantianism%20and%20idealism.

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/kant/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immanuel_Kant

https://thegreatthinkers.org/kant/biography/

H. Sigmund Freud (1856-1939)

LIFE:

He earned his medical degree from the University of

Vienna in 1881. He finished his habilitation in 1885
REFERENCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigmund_Freud#:~:text=Freud%20was%20born%20to
%20Galician,an%20affiliated%20professor%20in%201902.

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Sigmund-Freud

https://www.verywellmind.com/sigmund-freud-his-life-work-and-theories-2795860
 I. Gilbert Ryle (19 August 1900 – 6 October 1976)

LIFE:

He was a representative of the generation of British ordinary

language philosophers who shared Ludwig Wittgenstein's
approach, and was best known for his critique of Cartesian
dualism, for which he coined the phrase "ghost in the machine."

TEACHINGS:

Cartography using philosophy

Ryle observed that philosophers had a propensity to look for

things whose nature was neither physical nor mental in its place.
Ryle insisted that "philosophical problems are problems of a
certain sort; they are not problems of an ordinary sort about
special entities," as opposed to the conventional view.

WORK:

The Concept of Mind by Gilbert Ryle, published in 1949, is now

best known as the source of the expression "the ghost in the
machine," which Ryle coined to refute the widely held belief that
our bodies and minds are distinct. His own stance was that there is
no real difference between mental and physical actions.
REFERENCES:

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/ryle/

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Gilbert-Ryle

https://www.philosophybasics.com/philosophers_ryle.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gilbert_Ryle

J. Paul M. Churchland (October 21, 1942)

LIFE:

His research focuses on epistemology, perception,

REFERENCES:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Churchland

https://peoplepill.com/people/paul-churchland

https://www.enotes.com/topics/paul-m-churchland

https://pantheon.world/profile/person/Paul_Churchland/

https://alchetron.com/Paul-Churchland

K. Thomas Aquinas (1225 – 7 March 1274)

 LIFE:

Thomas Aquinas was the most influential philosopher of the

Scholastic era. He created a thorough synthesis of Christian
theology and Aristotelian philosophy, which had a long-lasting
impact on Roman Catholic doctrine and was adopted as the
church's official philosophy in 1917.

TEACHINGS:

According to Aquinas, reason reveals specific natural laws that

are good for humans, such as self-preservation, marriage and
family, and the desire to know God. He stated that reason
reveals this particular natural law: "Good is to be done and
pursued and evil avoided."

WORKS:

Thomas Aquinas was the most influential philosopher of the

Scholastic era. He created a thorough synthesis of Christian
theology and Aristotelian philosophy that had a long history of
influencing Roman Catholic doctrine and was adopted as the
church's official philosophy in 1917.

REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Saint-Thomas-Aquinas

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/aquinas/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Aquinas

https://www.biography.com/religious-figure/saint-thomas-aquinas

https://www.aquinas.edu/campus-ministry/saint-thomas-aquinas

L. Maurice Merleau-Ponty, (born March 14, 1908, Rochefort, Fr. —died May 4, 1961, Paris)
 LIFE:

He is a philosopher, a man of letters, and France's

foremost Phenomenologist. At the École Normale
Supérieure in Paris, Merleau-Ponty received his
agrégation in philosophy in 1931.

TEACHINGS:

Merleau-Ponty argues that there isn't a sharp division

between intelligent and physical behavior; rather, there
is a unity of behavior that expresses the intentionality
and, by extension, the meaning of this behavior. The
body adjusts to the intended meaning through habits,
giving the habit a kind of embodied consciousness.

WORKS:

For the majority of his career, Merleau-Ponty

concentrated on issues related to perception and
embodiment as a place to start when addressing issues
such as the relationship between the mind and the body,
the objective world and the experienced world,
expression in language and the arts, history, politics, and
nature.
REFERENCES:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Maurice-Merleau-Ponty

https://iep.utm.edu/merleau/

https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/merleau-ponty/

https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Maurice_Merleau-Ponty