UNDERTSANDING THE SELF

MODULE 1 – THE SELF FROM VARIOUS PHILOSOPHICAL PRESPECTIVES

Philosophy is often called the mother of all disciplines simply because all fields of study began as
philosophical discourses. Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover the ultimate causes,
reasons, and principles of everything. It goes beyond scientific investigation by exploring all areas of
knowledge such as religion, psychology, politics, physics and even medicine. Hence, the etymological
definition of philosophy “love of wisdom” could pertain to the desire for truth by formulating
never ending questions to provide answers to every inquiry about the nature of human existence.

The nature of the self is a topic of interest among philosophers. Different philosophers
introduced specific characteristics and meanings of the self, which, overtime, transformed from pure
abstractions to explanations that hold scientific proofs.

Lesson 1: Empiricism and Rationalism

The dispute between rationalism and empiricism takes place primarily within epistemology, the branch
of philosophy devoted to studying the nature, sources, and limits of knowledge. Knowledge itself can be
of many different things and is usually divided among three main categories: knowledge of the external
world, knowledge of the internal world or self-knowledge, and knowledge of moral and/or aesthetical
values. We may find that there are category-specific conditions that must be satisfied for knowledge to
occur and that it is easier or more difficult to shape certain questions and answers, depending on
whether we focus on the external world or on the values.

1. What is Knowledge?
2. How can we gain knowledge?
3. What are the limits of our knowledge?

Empiricism- there is no such thing as innate knowledge; instead, knowledge is derived from experience
either perceived with the five senses or processed with the brain. One knows things because he or she
has experienced it through sensory and bodily experiences.

Rationalism- argues that there is innate knowledge; however, there are different sources of innate
knowledge. Rationalism explains self from the standpoint of what is “ideal” and “true”, and not rooted
in what is felt by the senses or body. Conclusions are derived through logic and reasoning. Some
philosophers applied empirical views of the self; others used the rational approach.

Lesson 2: The Philosophical perspective of understanding the self

Prominent philosophers have different views regarding the nature of the self. The ancient philosophers
explained the self from their conceptual understanding of the world since scientific evidence was hard
to obtain due to lack of measures. Meanwhile, contemporary philosophers have incorporated
science to their theories in the light of the technological advancements they have been exposed to.

 SOCRATES - was a Greek philosopher who believed that philosophy had a very important role
to play in the lives of the people. One of his most quoted phrases is, “The unexamined life is not
worth living”. According to Socrates, self-knowledge or the examination of one’s self, as well as
the question about how one ought to live one’s life, are very important concerns because only
by knowing your self can you hope to improve your life.
Socrates suggested that the self consists of two dichotomous realms: physical and ideal realms.
The physical realm is changeable, transient and imperfect. The ideal realm is unchanging,
eternal, and immortal. The physical world in which we live belongs to the physical realm. For
Socrates, our body belongs to the physical realm while the soul belongs to the ideal realm.
Socrates explains that the essence of the self―the soul― is the immortal entity. The soul strives
for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve this dignified state. Socrates
suggests that man must live an examined life and a life of purpose and value. The individual
person can have a meaningful and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the value of
himself that can be achieved through incessant soul-searching. Self-knowledge is the ultimate
virtue.
 PLATO - Plato was the student of Socrates who also believed that the self is synonymous with
the soul. Plato elaborated the concept of the soul; specifically he introduced the idea of a three-
part soul:
 Reason is the divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make wise choices and achieve
a true understanding of eternal truths.
 Physical appetite includes our basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst and sexual
desires.
 Spirit or passion includes basic emotions such as love, anger, empathy.
 ST. AUGUSTINE - African philosopher Augustine is regarded as a saint in the Catholic Church. As
religious philosopher, he contemplated on the nature of man with an emphasis on the soul as an
important element of man. He believed that the soul is what governs and defines the human
person. Augustine described that humankind is created in the image and likeness of God.
Everything created by God who is all good is good. Therefore, the human person being a
creation of God is always geared towards the good. Augustine was convinced that the self is
known only through knowing God. For Augustine, “knowledge can only come by seeing the truth
that dwells within us.” The truth that which Augustine spoke refers to the truth of knowing God.
God is transcendent and that the self seeks to be united with God through faith and reason.
 REŃE DESCARTES - French philosopher Descartes is the father of Modern philosophy.
He brought an entirely new perspective to philosophy and the self. The Latin phrase
Cogito ergosum―”I think therefore I am” is the keystone of Descartes’ concept of self. For
him, the act of thinking about the self―of being self-conscious― is in itself proof that there is a
self. It was then that he developed his theory of knowledge because he is confident that no
rational person will doubt his or her own existence as a conscious, thinking entity-while we are
 aware of thinking about ourselves. For Descartes, this is the essence of the human self- a
thinking entity that doubts, understands, analyzes, questions and reasons.
 JOHN LOCKEF - for Locke, the human mind at birth is tabula rasa or blank slate. The self or
personal identity is constructed primarily from sense experience― specifically, what people see,
hear, smell, taste, and feel. These experiences shape and mold the self throughout a person’s
life. For Locke, conscious awareness and memory of previous experiences are the keys to
understanding the self.
 IMMANUEL KANT - For German philosopher Kant, it is the self that makes experiencing an
understandable world possible because it is the self that is actively organizing all our thoughts
and perceptions. In other words, the self-construct its own reality, actively creating a world that
is familiar, predictable, and most significantly, mine. The self is the product of reason, a
regulative principle, because the self regulates experience by making unified experiences
possible. The self transcends experience because the mind can grasp aspects of reality which is
not limited to the senses.
 GILBERT RYLE - British philosopher Ryle believed that the self is best understood as a pattern
of behavior, the tendency for a person to behave in a certain way in certain circumstances.
Ryle’s concept of the human self thus provided the philosophical principle, “I act therefore I
am”. Ryle considers the mind and body intrinsically linked in complex and intimate ways. In
short, the self is the same as bodily behavior. Ryle is convinced that the mind expresses the
entire system of thoughts, emotions, and actions that make up the human self.
 PAUL CHURCHLAND - American philosopher Churchland advocated the idea of eliminative
materialism or the idea that the self is inseparable from the brain and the physiology of the
body. All aperson has is the brain and so, if the brain is gone, there is no self. For Churchland,
the physical brain and not the imaginary mind, gives people the sense of self. The self is the
brain.

References;

A. https://www.pearsonhighered.com/assets/samplechapter/0/1/3/0/013048069X.pdf

B. https://www.studocu.com/ph/document/technological-university-of-the-philippines/bachelor-of-
science-in-computer-science/lecture-notes/understanding-the-self/2242575/view

C https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/rationalism-empiricism/