Republic of the Philippines

AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY

EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

CHAPTER 1:

“The Philosophical Perspective of the Self”

PHILOSOPHICAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE SELF

LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the students are expected to:
1. analyze the different representation and conceptualization of the self from various
perspectives;
2. explore the issues and concerns regarding self from various perspectives; and
3. write their own philosophies that stand to what they believe in.

Introduction

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality and existence, especially
in an academic discipline. The philosophy of self is the study of the many conditions of identity that make
one subject of experience distinct from other experiences. The self is sometimes understood as a unified
being essentially connected to consciousness, awareness, and agency. It is a particular theory that
someone has about how to live or how to deal with a particular situation. An academic discipline
concerned with investigating the nature of significance of ordinary and scientific beliefs. It investigates
the legitimacy of concepts by rational argument concerning their implications, relationships as well as
reality, knowledge, moral judgment etc.
Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover reasons and principles of everything. It goes
beyond the scientific investigation by exploring all areas of knowledge such as religion, psychology,
politics, 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 human existence. The nature of self is a topic of interest among philosophers.
The philosophical framework for understanding the self was first introduced by the ancient Greek
philosophers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. In particular, Socrates: “Know thyself”. But what exactly does
“know thyself” mean? What is self and the qualities that define it? This chapter presents an overview of
the philosophical perspective of the self to assist students identify one’s self—to gain knowledge. It
intends to give a wider perspective in understanding the self. The different views of prominent
philosophers regarding the nature of self are discussed and while there are disagreements in how
philosophers view of the self, most of them agree that self-knowledge Is a prerequisite to a happy and
meaningful life.
The quest for the nature and scope of the human Self has been one of the most important
intellectual tasks in western thought. Nevertheless, It was not until Descartes and the rise of modern
philosophy, that the cluster of problems we now associate to the notion of ‘Self’ were identified as such
(eg.: self-identity, the nature of self-reflection, the epistemological status of self-evidence, the unity of

1 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

conscious experience, among others). What was more, this set of problems were taken to be among the
most crucial philosophical tasks to be addressed in the upcoming centuries. Much of philosophy concerns
with the fundamental nature of self. The Greeks were the ones who seriously questioned myths and
moved away from them to understand reality and respond to perennial questions of the self.
The following are discussions of different perspective and understandings of the self according to
its prime movers.

2 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

PRE-ASSESSMENT

TASK #1
Your Personal Identity
“Who Are You?”

Roles
What are the responsibilities you have taken in your
life?

Learning
Personal Core What have you learned and what are
How would you describe yourself in you hoping to learn?
one sentence?

3 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

Your Personal Identity

“Who Are You?”

Values
Family History What is really important to
Introduce your family you?

Strengths
What skills and talents do
you have? Hopes for the Future
Where do you hope to be in
5-10 years?

Interests
What are you most
interested in?

4 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

Discussion:

PHILOSOPHY
 The etymological definition of philosophy is love of wisdom.
 Philosophy employs the inquisitive mind to discover the ultimate causes, reasons, and principles of
everything.
 The nature of the self is a topic of interest among philosophers.

Notable Philosophers:
1. Socrates
“An unexamined life is not worth living.” – SOCRATES
 SELF is synonymous with the SOUL.
 The SOUL is IMMORTAL.
 - Socrates believed that every human possessed an immortal soul.
 Human life does not end at one’s death.
 - DEATH – departure of the soul for the eternal world

In Socrates’ concept of REALITY, it consists of two (2) dichotomous Realms: Physical realm and
Ideal realm.
PHYSICAL Realm – changeable, transient, and imperfect. The Body belongs to the physical realm.
IDEAL Realm – unchanging, eternal, and immortal. The Soul belongs to the ideal realm.
 Socrates was the first thinker to focus on the full power of reason on the human self: who we are,
who we should be, and who we will become.
 The soul strives for wisdom and perfection, and reason is the soul’s tool to achieve an exalted state
of life.
 ”Our preoccupation with bodily needs such as food, drink, sex, pleasure, material possessions, and
wealth keep us from attaining wisdom. “ - SOCRATES
 Goodness or Beauty is the most important of all.
 A person can have a meaningful and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the value of
himself that can be achieved through constant soul-searching.
 - “Separate the body from the soul as much as possible”
 Soul searching must begin at the source of all knowledge and significance – the self
 The Socratic Method (Introspection) – a method of carefully examining our thoughts and emotions
to gain self-knowledge. (Reflecting, talking to oneself)
2. PLATO : The Soul is Immortal
 The self is synonymous with the soul.

5 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

 Plato’s philosophy of the self can be explained as a process of self-knowledge and purification of the
soul.
 The self consists of three parts: Reason, Spirit or Passion, and Physical Appetite.

REASON SPIRIT/PASSION PHYSICAL APPETITE

Is the divine essence that Includes basic emotions such as Includes our basic biological
enables us to3think
 These deeply,
elements of ourselves are love,
in aanger, ambition,
dynamic needs
relationship with one such assometimes
another, hunger, thirst,
in
makeconflict.
wise choices, and aggressiveness, and empathy and sexual desire.
 Reason
achieve a true understanding
is responsible in sorting things out and exerting control, to restore a harmonious relationship
ofamong
eternal
thetruths.
3 elements of ourselves.

“Genuine happiness can only be achieved by people who consistently make sure that their Reason is in
control of their Spirits and Appetites” – PLATO

3. ARISTOTLE: The SOUL is the essence of the self

 For Aristotle, the body and soul are not two separate elements but are one thing.
 The SOUL is simply the Form of the BODY, and is not capable of existing without the body.
 The soul is that which makes a person a person.
 Aristotle suggested that anything with life has soul.
 His discussion about the self centers on the kinds of soul possesed by man.
 He introduced the three kinds of soul: vegetative, sentient, and rational.
 RATIONAL
VEGETATIVE SENTIENT
Includes the sensual desires, Is what makes a man human. It
Includes the physical body that
feelings, and EMOTIONS. includes the INTELLECT that
can GROW.
makes man know and
understand things.
“The rational nature of the self is to lead a GOOD, FLOURISHING, and FULFILLING life.”
- Aristotle-

4. ST. AUGUSTINE: I am doubting, therefore I am

 St. Augustine integrated the ideas of Plato and Christianity.
 He developed a more unified perspective on the body and soul.
 The soul is what governs and defines the human person of the self.
 The soul is united with the body so that man may be entire and complete.
 The physical body is different from and inferior to its inhabitant, the immortal soul.
 Augustine described that humankind is created in the image and likeness of God.
 Augustine believed that God is transcendent and everything created by God who is all good is good.
 The self is known only through knowing God.

6 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

 God is transcendent and that the self seeks to be united with God through FAITH and REASON.
 In Augustine’s mission to discover the truth on the existence of God, he developed the fundamental
concept of the human person and thus, provided the philosophical principle, “I am doubting,
therefore I am”
“Knowledge can only come by seeing the TRUTH that dwells within us.”

- St. Augustine-

5. RENE DESCARTES: I think therefore I am

 For him, the act of thinking about the self – of being self-consciuous – is in itself proof that there is
self.
 For Descartes, the essence of the self – a thinking entity that doubts, understands, analyzes,
questions, and reasons.

Two (2) Dimensions of the Self:

THINKING SELF (soul) PHYSICAL BODY

Is the nonmaterial, immortal, conscious Is the material, mortal, non-thinking
being, and independent of the physical entity, fully governed by the physical
laws of the universe. laws of nature.

*The soul & body are independent of one another and each can exist and function without the other.

6. JOHN LOCKE: The self is consciousness

 The Human mind at birth is like a Tabularasa or Blank slate.
 He felt that the self, or personal identity, is constructed primarily from sense experiences – or more
specifically, what we see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. These experiences shape and mold the self
throughout a person’s life.

7. DAVID HUME: There is no self

 Hume suggests that if people carefully examine their sense experience through the process of
introspection, they will discover that there is no self.
 According to Hume, what people experience is just a bundle or collection of different perception,
impressions, sensations, ideas, thoughts, and images.
 “The idea of personal identity is a result of IMAGINATION”
- David Hume-
8. IMMANUEL KANT: We construct the self
 According to Kant, it is the self that makes experiencing an intelligible world possible because it is
the self that is actively organizing and synthesizing all of our thoughts and perceptions.

7 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

 In other words, the self constructs its own reality creating a world that is familiar and predictable.
 Through our rationality, the self transcends sense experience.

9. SIGMUND FREUD: The self is Multilayered

 The self consists of three layers:

CONSCIOUS
Is governed by the reality
principle and is organized in
ways that are rational, practical,
and appropriate.
PRECONSCIOUS
Is located between the
conscious and unconscious
part of the self that is not
threatening and is easily
brought to mind.
UNCONSCIOUS
Contains the basic instinctual
drives that would be considered
socially taboo and is governed
by the pleasure principle .

10. GILBERT RYLE: The self is the way people behave

 The self is best understood as a pattern of behavior, the tendency or disposition for a person to
behave in a certain way in certain circumstances.
 The self is the same as bodily behavior.
“I ACT therefore I am.” -
Gilbert Ryle-

11. PAUL CHURCHLAND: The self is the BRAIN

 The self is inseparable from the brain and the physiology of the body.
 All we have 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 us our sense of self.

12. MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY: The self is embodied subjectivity

 All knowledge of our selves and our world is based on subjective experience.
 The self can never be truly objectified or known in a completely objective sort of

8 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

ASSESSMENT
UNDERSTANDING MYSELF

Knowing oneself is critical to being an effective member of the society as well as

being successful in life, work, and relationships. Your personal identity influences
everything you do, and it changes and evolves over time.

The purpose of this activity is to help you deepen your understanding and appreciation for
who you are as a person. You will explore how you see yourself through the lenses of
personal identity, your skills and talents, roles, values, personal core, and how you meet
your psychological needs. You will also examine how you respond to the pressures of
changes and transitions in your life.

You will have an opportunity to examine how your personal identity has been shaped by a
variety of people and experiences. You will also have opportunities to think about and
discuss your values, interests, hopes for the future, as well as, your strengths and
challenges. You will learn about how your psychological needs are the primary source that
motivates and drives your behavior.

9 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022

 Republic of the Philippines
AURORA STATE COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION DEPARTMENT
BALER, AURORA

TASK #2

Self Survey

Centering on similarities/differences of self representations and conceptualizations and the

various identified influences on:

1. How is self understood?

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________
2. How do I understand my self?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________
What led up to this self?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
________________________________

10 Module in Understanding the Self

By: MS. MARJORIE J. RUZOL, 1st Semester, SY 2021-2022