Philosophical Perspective of the Self
knowledge in the world begins with
Socrates: The Self is an Immortal Self
- Greek Philosopher
- Self is anonymous with the soul
- Who we are, we should be, will become
- Man must live an examined life
- REASON is soul’s tool to achieve this
exalted state of wisdom
- INTROSPECTION is carefully evaluating
thoughts and emotions and gain self-
knowledge
 2 dichotomous realms
- PHYSICAL REALM- where the body
belongs
- IDEAL REALM- where the soul
belongs and is immortal
John Locke- “Aren’t these conclusions
confirmed by your own experiences?” AN
EMPPERICIST
- A person is thinking, intelligent being
who has the abilities to reason and to
reflect
- Consciousness is a key to understanding
the self
- Of we aren’t aware, we cant be sure if
we are the same person, or the same
soul
Self is its conscious awareness of itself a
thinking, reasoning, reflecting identity
David Hume (1711-1776)- AN EMPIRICIST
- Introspection is when we examine
ourselves is that there is no self.
Two Distinct Entities
 Impressions- pain, happiness, fear, grief
etc
 Ideas- copies of impressions less lively
and vivid
Both forms only fleeting stream in our mind.
- Our experiences are only perceptions
- Our self doesn’t exist.
- SELF is only bundle of collection of
different perceptions.
Imanuel Kant (1724-1804)
- Acknowledges Hume’s point that all
sensations.
- Believes that we perceive an organized
world of objects, and ideas all existing
within a fairly stable framework of
space and time
- Our minds actively sort, organize and
synthesized the fluctuating collection of
sense data that our sense organs take
in.
- Taking the raw data of experience and
actively synthesizing into orderly and
meaningful world.
Impressions + Ideas = perceived SELF
- We don’t have to learn things
anymore because a priori ways is
already installed to our system.
Gilbert Ryle (1900-1976)
- Behaviorism is the self’s behavior
presenting to the world
- Logical Behaviorism focused on
creating conceptual clarity
- Human bodies are in space which is
accessible to eternal observer.
- Minds are not in space and not
accessible to others
Results to two collateral histories
- Public
- Private
Self is understood as a pattern of behavior.
Edmund Husserl (1859-1938)
- Phenomenology refers to all knowledge
of ourselves are based on phenomena
of experiences
- Division between the mind and body is
product of confused thinking
- Physical and mental are woven together
- Living body is natural synthesis of mind
and biology and an attempt to separate
them are nonsensical
- “Lived World or LIBENSWELT-
fundamental ground of our being and
consciousness
Rene Decartes: “I think therefore I am”
- French Philosopher and father of
modern philosophy
- Cogito ergo sum- I think therefore I am
- Being self conscious is the proof of
there is self
- Human self a thinking entity that
doubts, understands, analyses,
questions and reasons
-
St. Agustine: The self has an immortal soul
- African Philosopher
- Physical body is different from inferior
to its inhabitant, the soul
- Integrated ideas of Christianity
- Body as spouse of the soul both
attached to each other by a “natural
appetite”
- The soul governs and defines human
person
Plato: The self is an immortal soul
- Greek Philosopher
- Self is synonymous with the soul
- Self knowledge and purification of the
soul
Three Part Soul/Self
- REASON is to think, make choices,
achieve a true understanding of eternal
truths
- PHYSICAL APETTITE is biological needs
such as hunger thirst and sexual desire
- SPIRIT OF PASSION is basic emotion
such as love, ambition and empathy
REASON should be in control of spirit and
appetite so that there will be no chaos.
TWO WORLDS
1. The world of forms
2. The world of senses
Sigmund Freud- ID, EGO, SUPEREGO
- ID is completely unconscious and has no
contact with realty, pleasure principle
- EGO is governed by reality principle,
only one who has contact with the
outside world, controls ID and
SUPEREGO
- SUPEREGO has no contact with the
outside world and is unrealistic in
demands for perfection
Psychosexual Stage
- Oral stage- mouth
- Anal stage- anus
- Phalic stage- genital area
- Latency Stage- dormant
- Genital stage- sexual urges
Psychological Perspective of the Self
Multiple and Unified Self
- Multiple varies across diff roles and
relationships
- Self integration occurs
Donald Winnicott
True self- feelings and desires
False Self- change in behavior, hide and
protects the true self
- Healthy false self- functionl in society,
personal boundaries
- Unhealthy false self- fits to society
through forced compliance
Erik Erikson
Psychosocial Stages
1. Trust vs. Mistrust- infancy
2. Autonomy vs. Shame and Doubt-
early childhood
3. Initiative vs. Guilt- play age
4. Industry vs Inferiority- school age
5. Identity vs. Identity Confusion-
adolescence
6. Intimacy vs. Isolation- early
adulthood
7. Generativity vs. Stagnation-
adulthood
8. Integrity vs. Despair- old age
Albert Bandura- SOCIAL COGNITIVE THEORY
 - Has control over nature and quality of - Self awareness, “what I am” “what I can
lives do”
- People are seld-regulating, proactive,
IDEAL SELF
self-reflective and has the power to
influence their own actions to produce - What one should be, goals and
desired consequences ambitions
Core Features of Human Agency

1. Intentionality- acts done intentionally Anthropological Perspective of the Self

2. Forethought- anticipate consequences
of actions
3. Self reactiveness- making choices,
motivating
4. Self reflectiveness- ability to reflect
upon oneself
Self Efficacy- belief that you are capable of
doing things
(The self is embedded in Culture)
Anthropology- study of human culture, time
and space
Nature- genetic inheritance
Nurture- sociological environment
Culture- ways of life, can be diverse

Self Regulation- monitor own behavior Self embedded In culture

Carl Jung- Analytical Psychology

- Personal Unconscious- repressed

memories
- Collective Unconscious- shared
memories, memories from ancestors

Archrype: response to the world, ancestral

memories

4 major archetypes:

- Persona- public face, shows to the

world
- Shadow- darkness and repression
- Anima/Animus- feminine side of men,
masculine archetype in women

Self- innate disposition of growth, unites all

archetypes

William James

- I Self- the mind or thinking self

Me Self- Empirical Self, describes personal

experiences (material, social, spiritual)

Carl Rogers- Real and Ideal Self

- SELF is flexible and changing perception

of personal identities
- Self develops from interacting

REAL SELF