UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

The Philosophical Perspective

Clariza C. Franco, Ph.D.

What Philosophy says about the self?

Know oneself!
 Parts of the lesson:
1. 2. 3. 4.
Opening What is Philosophy Enrichment
Activity Philosophy? and the Self Activity
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the role of philosophy in understanding the self.
2. Describe the different notions of the self from the various
philosophers across time and place;
3. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented
in different philosophical schools; and
4. Examine one’s self against the different views of self that
were discussed in class.

Clariza C. Franco
 Essential Questions:
1. How do I see myself?
2. What happens to a person whose three
components of the soul are imbalanced?
3. What makes people different from animals?
4. How would you know that the self exists?
5. What would happen to the self when the body
dies?
Clariza C. Franco
What is philosophy?

philo- "loving" +
sophia "knowledge, wisdom“

Sorce: https://www.etymonline.com/word/Philosophy
What is philosophy?

It is the study of the fundamental nature

of knowledge, reality, and existence .

Sorce: https://www.etymonline.com/word/Philosophy
Frameworks of Philosophy

Logic Axiology Epistemology Metaphysics

Clariza C. Franco
Influence of Time
1. Ancient versus contemporary philosophy

vs

Clariza C. Franco
Influence of Time
2. Rationalism versus Empiricism philosophy

Clariza C. Franco
Influence of Time
2. Rationalism versus Empiricism philosophy

UTS

Clariza C. Franco
UTS – Understanding the Self
 SOCRATES
“An unexamined life is not worth living”
Who we are?
Who we should be?

Father of Philosophy Clariza C. Franco

 SOCRATES
“An unexamined life is not worth living”
Man = body + soul (self)
imperfect/ perfect
changing permanent
mortal immortal
The individual person can have a
meaningful and happy life only if he
becomes virtuous and knows the value of
himself which can be achieved through
soul-searching. Clariza C. Franco
 PLATO
“The Self is an immortal soul”

• purification of the soul

Clariza C. Franco
 PLATO
“The Self is an immortal soul”
• He introduced the idea
of a three-part soul/self:
1. Rational
2. Spirited
3. Appetitive
Clariza C. Franco
 ARISTOTLE
“The soul is the essence of the Self”
• He believes that the soul is merely
a set of defining features and
does not consider the body and
soul as separate entities.

Clariza C. Franco
 ARISTOTLE
“The soul is the essence of the Self”
• He introduced the three kinds of soul:
1. Vegetative/Nutritive soul
2. Sentient/Appetitive soul
3. Rational soul

Clariza C. Franco
 ST. AUGUSTINE
“The Self has an immortal soul “
• Body as “spouse” of the soul.
• Man is of bifurcated nature.

Clariza C. Franco
 ST. AUGUSTINE
“The Self has an immortal soul “
• Self-knowledge is a consequence of
knowledge of God.
• The humankind is created in the image
and likeness of God.
• God is transcendent and the self seeks to
be united w/ God through faith and
reason.
Clariza C. Franco
 THOMAS AQUINAS
Universal Teacher
• Man is indeed composed of 2 parts
(Adapting Aristotle’s)
1. Matter – common stuff; body
2. Form – the essence of a substance;
soul

Clariza C. Franco
 RENĒ DESCARTES
“I Think Therefore I am
(Cogito ergo sum)”

• Self consists of 2 distinct entities:

cogito – the thing that thinks (mind)
extenza – extension of the mind (body)
a machine that is attached to the mind
Father of Modern Philosophy Clariza C. Franco
 RENĒ DESCARTES
“I think, therefore I am”
• There is so much that we should doubt.
• If something is so clear and lucid as not
to be even doubted, then that is the only
time when one should actually buy a
proposition.
• The fact that one thinks should lead one
to conclude w/o a trace of doubt that he
exists.
Father of Modern Philosophy Clariza C. Franco
DAVID HUME
“ There is No Self”
Impressions
(senses,
experiences)

Ideas
(copy of
impressions)
Clariza C. Franco
 DAVID HUME
“ There is no Self”
• One can know only what comes from the
senses and experience.
• The self is not an entity over and beyond
the physical body.
• The self is nothing else but a bundle of
impressions.
Clariza C. Franco
IMMANUEL KANT
“We Construct the Self”
• The mind that
organizes the
impressions
• Synthesizes all
knowledge and
experience
• Seat of knowledge
acquisition
Clariza C. Franco
 GILBERT RYLE
“ The self is the way people behave”
• Mind – the totality of human
dispositions that is known through the
way people behave.
• “Self” is not an entity one can locate
and analyze but simply the convenient
name that people use to refer to all
behaviors that people make.
Clariza C. Franco
 GILBERT RYLE
“ The self is the way people behave”
• “I act therefore I am.”

• The self is the same as bodily behavior.

Clariza C. Franco
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
“The self is embodied subjectivity”
• All knowledge about the self is based on
the “phenomena” of experience.
• “I” - a single integrated core identity, a
combination of the mental, physical, and
emotional structures around a core
identity of the self.

Clariza C. Franco
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
“The self is embodied subjectivity”
• mind and body are unified, not separate.
• Consciousness is a dynamic form
responsible for actively structuring
conscious ideas and physical behavior.

Clariza C. Franco
MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY
“The self is embodied subjectivity”
• Convinced that consciousness, the world,
and the human body are intricately
intertwined in perceiving the world.
• For him, perception is not merely a
consequence of sensory experience,
rather; it is a conscious experience. Thus,
the self is embodied subjectivity.
Clariza C. Franco
 Essential Questions:
1. How do I see myself?
2. What happens to a person whose three
components of the soul are imbalanced?
3. What makes people different from animals?
4. How would you know that the self exists?
5. What would happen to the self when the body
dies?
Clariza C. Franco
 ASSIGNMENT
Choose 3 questions that you can answer in a form of an essay.
The students will answer the questions by citing 3-5
philosophers and their philosophies as references. The essay
must compose of 5-8 paragraphs with 4-6 sentences in each
paragraph.

Clariza C. Franco
 CRITERIA
• Excellent/8 points: The essay is clear and focused. The work holds the
reader’s attention. Besides, the relevant details and quotes enrich the
thesis statement.
• Very Good/6 points: The essay is mostly focused and contains a few useful
details and quotes.
• Average/4 points: The student begins the work by defining the topic.
However, the development of ideas appears general.
• Needs Improvement/2 points: The student fails to define the topic well,
or the writer focuses on several issues.
• Unacceptable/0 points: The essay lacks a clear sense of a purpose or
thesis statement. The teacher has to make suggestions based on sketchy or
missing ideas to understand the intended meaning. Essay rubric
requirements are missed.
Clariza C. Franco
Learning Objectives:
1. Explain the role of philosophy in understanding the self.
2. Describe the different notions of the self from the various
philosophers across time and place;
3. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented
in different philosophical schools; and
4. Examine one’s self against the different views of self that
were discussed in class.

Clariza C. Franco
 Ancient/ Rationalism/
Philosophers Origin Central Theme
Contemporary Empiricism
References
Alata, E.J.P., et. al. (2021). Understanding the Self. Manila, Philippines: Rex Book
Store.
Ciaunica, A., & Fotopoulou, A. (2017). The touched self: Psychological and
philosophical perspectives on proximal intersubjectivity and the self. MIT
Press.
Pool, N. M. (2018). Looking inward: Philosophical and methodological perspectives
on phenomenological self-reflection. Nursing science quarterly, 31(3), 245-
252.
Stevens, R. (Ed.). (1996). Understanding the self (Vol. 1). Sage.

Clariza C. Franco