CC’s Voice: Hello students! Welcome to this course GE 1: .

Understanding the Self!

CO Understanding ourselves is essential to our being. It’s a

reflection on how we relate and connect with others. That is why in
this course we will get to discover and learn about ourselves better.
This will be a journey in discovering oneself.
Let us begin our journey!

https://kalpvrikshguru.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/understanding-yourself.jpg

Week 1-2: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit you are
expected to:
a. Explain the different philosophical perspectives of the self.
b. Explain how the self has been represented across disciplines and
perspectives.

Big Picture in Focus : ULOa. Explain the different

philosophical perspectives of the self.

Metalanguage:
Below are the essential terms that you are going to encouter in the pursuit
of ULOa.: Explain the different philosophical perspectives of the self.
Frequently refer to these definitions to help you understand the succeeding
topics.
Self – The self has many aspects such as self-awareness, self-esteem, self-
knowledge and self-perception. The self holds the cognitive or affective
representation of the individual (Merriam-Webster, 2017)
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Perspectives - the interrelation in which a subject or its parts are mentally

viewed (Merriam Webster Dictionary).
Philosophy - the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and
existence, especially when considered as an academic discipline.
Discipline of Philosophy - From the Greek: philosophia: love of (philo-),
wisdom (-sophia). Philosophy is the pursuit of wisdom through the critical
investigation of the nature, causes, or foundations of reality, knowledge, or
values, rather than relying purely on empirical investigation.

Essential Knowledge :
1. Philosophical Perspective of the Self - Philosophy begins in the human’s
experience of reality, being the most ancient of all intellectual disciplines;
philosophy is the mother of the human and natural sciences. As the love of
wisdom, Philosophy is more than just knowledge, seeking to open its
students’ minds to critically become aware of illusions, fraudulent claims, and
flawed reasoning.
1.1. The Avocado/Artichoke Model the methapors for human nature.

1.1.1. AVOCADO- the seed at the center contains all the essential
information about what makes an avocado an avocado. If the
avocado seed is planted a new avocado will grow which when it
reaches its maturity is capable of producing another generation of
avocado.
1.1.2. ARTICHOKE- consists of spiny layer that can be peeled off one
after the other. When the last layer is removed there is nothing left.
The heart of the artichoke is its base yet it does not contain the
essence of the artichoke. The artichoke is nothing but its layers
1.2. Oriental Philosophy (Avocado View)

1.2.1. HINDUISM - Hinduism is the

world’s oldest religion,
according to many scholars,
with roots and customs dating
back more than 4,000 years.
Today, with about 900 million
followers, Hinduism is the
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third-largest religion behind Christianity and Islam. Roughly 95

percent of the world’s Hindus live in India. Because the religion
has no specific founder, it’s difficult to trace its origins and history.
Hinduism is unique in that it’s not a single religion but a compilation
of many traditions and philosophies.

1.2.2. Buddhism - Siddhartha Gautama-

we have a very avocado like image
of the core self at the the heart of the
person which travels from life to life
hrough the process of reincarnation
taking on new bodies but remains
intact.
1.2.2.1. Hinduism Beliefs - Some
basic Hindu concepts include:
a. Hinduism embraces many religious ideas. For this reason, it’s
sometimes referred to as a “way of life” or a “family of
religions,” as opposed to a single, organized religion.
b. Most forms of Hinduism are henotheistic, which means they
worship a single deity, known as “Brahman,” but still recognize
other gods and goddesses. Followers believe there are
multiple paths to reaching their god.
c. Hindus believe in the doctrines of samsara (the continuous
cycle of life, death, and reincarnation) and karma (the universal
law of cause and effect).
d. One of the key thoughts of Hinduism is “atman,” or the belief in
soul. This philosophy holds that living creatures have a soul,
and they’re all part of the supreme soul. The goal is to achieve
“moksha,” or salvation, which ends the cycle of rebirths to
become part of the absolute soul.
e. One fundamental principle of the religion is the idea that
people’s actions and thoughts directly determine their current
life and future lives.
f. Hindus strive to achieve dharma, which is a code of living that
emphasizes good conduct and morality.
g. Hindus revere all living creatures and consider the cow a
sacred animal.
h. Food is an important part of life for Hindus. Most don’t eat beef
or pork, and many are vegetarians.
i. Hinduism is closely related to other Indian religions, including
Buddhism, Sikhism and Jainism.
1.2.2.2. According to the anatta doctrine of Buddhism, at the
core of all human beings and living creatures, there is no
"eternal, essential and absolute som3ething called a soul, self
or atman". Buddhism, from its earliest days, has denied the
existence of the "self, soul" in its core philosophical and
ontological texts.
According to Buddhist philosophy, the self is composed of five
aggregates: physical form, sensation, conceptualization,

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dispositions to act, and consciousness. Each self is comprised

of the continual interplay of these five elements, but there is no
substance or identity beyond the dynamic interaction of these
five elements.
https://revelpreview.pearson.com/epubs/pearson_chaffee/OP
S/xhtml/ch03_sec_12.xhtml.
Karma (Sanskrit, also karman, Pāli: kamma) is a Sanskrit term
that literally means "action" or "doing". In the Buddhist tradition,
karma refers to action driven by intention (cetanā) which leads to
future consequences.

What is Karma? The Pali term Karma literally means action or

doing. Any kind of intentional action whether mental, verbal, or
physical, is regarded as Karma. It covers all that is included in the
phrase "thought, word and deed". Generally speaking, all good
and bad action constitutes Karma. In its ultimate sense Karma
means all moral and immoral volition. Involuntary, unintentional or
unconscious actions, though technically deeds, do not constitute
Karma, because volition, the most important factor in determining
Karma, is absent. http://www.buddhanet.net/e-
learning/karma.htm#1.

The Sanskrit term karma literally means ‘action’. What is

nowadays referred to somewhat loosely as the theory of karma is,
speaking more strictly, the view that there is a causal relationship
between action (karma) and ‘fruit’ (phala), the latter being an
experience of pleasure, pain or indifference for the agent of the
action. This is the view that the Buddha appears to have accepted
in its most straightforward form. Actions are said to be of three
types: bodily, verbal and mental. The Buddha insists, however,
that by action is meant not the movement or change involved, but
rather the volition or intention that brought about the change. As
Gombrich (2009) points out, the Buddha’s insistence on this point
reflects the transition from an earlier ritualistic view of action to a
view that brings action within the purview of ethics.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/.

The Eightfold Path:

1. Right view or
understanding. Vision of the
nature of reality and the path of
transformation.

2. Right thought or attitude.

Liberating emotional intelligence
in your life and acting from love

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and compassion. An informed heart and feeling mind that are free
to practice letting go.

3. Right speech. Clear, truthful, uplifting and non-harmful

communication.

4. Right action. An ethical foundation for life based on the

principle of non-exploitation of oneself and others. The five
precepts.

5. Right livelihood. This is a livelihood based on correct action

the ethical principal of non-exploitation. The basis of an Ideal
society.

6. Right effort or diligence. Consciously directing our life energy

to the transformative path of creative and healing action that
fosters wholeness. Conscious evolution.

7. Right mindfulness. Developing awareness, "if you hold

yourself dear watch yourself well". Levels of Awareness and
mindfulness - of things, oneself, feelings, thought, people and
Reality.

8. Concentration, meditation, absorption or one-pointedness

of mind http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm.

1.3. The Greek Rationalist Tradition (Avocado View)

1.3.1. Socrates:
1. Believed in the natural
goodness of the human person.
No man desires evil as such.
His intention is always directed
toward the good in whatever he
chooses to act upon
2. Evil is not man’s intention; it is the result of ignorance that an
action may possibly end with.
3. It is imperative that man must examine his life for “ an
unexamined life is not worth living”
Knowledge is virtue
Ignorance is evil
The wise man is he who knows what is right and wrong, avoid
evil and do what is good
4. Man’s body comes from the world of matter, but his reason
comes from the universal reason of MIND OF THE WORLD

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1.3.2. Plato:
Plato (427-347 BCE) “was one of
the first to argue that the
systematic use of our reason can
show us the best way to live.”
[Platonic thinking is part of this
rise of reason in ancient
Greece—often called the Greek
miracle. It replaced superstitious, religious, mythological,
supernatural thinking with rational, scientific, philosophical,
naturalistic thinking. The lives we live today, especially the
benefits of science and technology, owe much to this Greek
miracle.] Plato argues that if we truly understand human nature we
can find “individual happiness and social stability.”

Theory of Human Nature – The Tripartite Structure of the Soul –

[Having encountered the social self of Confucianism, the divine
self of Hinduism, and the no-self of Buddhism, we come to

dualism.]
Plato is a dualist; there is both immaterial mind (soul) and material
body, and it is the soul that knows the forms. Plato believed the
soul exists before birth and after death. [We don’t see perfect
circles or perfect justice in this world, but we remember seeing
them in Platonic heaven before we were born.] Thus he believed
that the soul or mind attains knowledge of the forms, as opposed
to the senses. Needless to say, we should care about our soul
rather than our body.
The soul (mind) itself is divided into 3 parts: reason; appetite
(physical urges); and will (emotion, passion, spirit.) The will is the

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source of love, anger, indignation, ambition, aggression, etc.

When these aspects are not in harmony, we experience mental
conflict. The will can be on the side of either reason or the
appetites. We might be pulled by lustful appetite, or the rational
desire to find a good partner. To explain the interaction of these 3
parts of the self, Plato uses the image is of the charioteer (reason)
who tries to control horses representing will and appetites.
[Elsewhere he says that reason uses the will to control the
appetites.
Plato also emphasized the social aspect of human nature. We are
not self-sufficient, we need others, and we benefit from our social
interactions, from other person’s talents, aptitudes, and friendship.

Forms are ideas or concepts which have at least 4 aspects:

A) Logical – how does “table” or “tree” apply to various

tables/trees? How does a universal concept like “bed” or “dog”
or “red” or “hot” apply to many individual things? [Any word,
except proper names and pronouns, refers to a form.]

B) Metaphysical – are forms ultimately real; do they exist

independently? Plato says yes. Universal, eternal, immaterial,
unchanging forms are more real than individuals. Individual
material things are known by the senses, whereas forms are
known by the intellect. And the forms have a real, independent
existence—there is a world of forms.

C) Epistemological – knowledge is of forms, perceptions in this

world lead only to belief or opinion. We find the clearest
example of knowledge based on forms in mathematics.

D) Moral – ideals of human conduct, moral concepts like justice

and equality are forms. [So there are physical, mathematical,
and moral forms.] Individuals and societies can participate in
justice, liberty, or equality, but in this world, we never encounter
the perfect forms. The most prominent of all the forms is the
form of the “good.”
https://reasonandmeaning.com/2014/10/11/theories-of-
human-nature-chapter-7-plato-part-1/.

THE ALLEGORY OF THE CAVE

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The chained prisoner’s tied see only the wall in front of them while
in the roadway behind them various objects are carried back and
forth resulting in the shadows on the wall. One day a prisoner
breaks free and see the objects behind him. He knows there is
something more real and he has more knowledge of his reality.
Eventually, he makes his way out of the cave and sees objects in
the sunlight, and then he sees the sun itself.
The allegory this refers to his leaving behind the impermanent,
material world for the permanent intelligible world. It is a story
about the human journey from darkness to light, from sleeping to
waking, from ignorance to knowledge. For Christians like St.
Augustine it represented the soul’s journey from this world to the
heavenly one. Contemporary commentators often argue that has
something to say to us. We look at our televisions, smartphones,
and computer screens rather than contemplating eternal things
https://reasonandmeaning.com/2014/10/12/the-allegory-of-the-
cave-the-divided-line-the-myth-of-the-sun/.

The parables of the sun and cave are primarily about

understanding forms and the form of the good. [Plato compares
the sun’s illumination of the world with the form of the good’s
illumination of reality.] Plato thought that by using reason we could
come to know the good, and then we would do the good. Thus
knowledge of the good is sufficient for virtue, doing the good. [This
seems mistaken as Aristotle will point out because our will can be
weak.] Thus Plato’s philosophy responds to intellectual and moral
relativism—there are objective truths about the nature of reality
and about human conduct. [The allegory of the cave, the myth of
the sun, and the divided line are the devices Plato uses to explain
the forms https://reasonandmeaning.com/2014/10/11/theories-of-
human-nature-chapter-7-plato-part-1/.

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1.3.3. Aristotle:
HAPPINESS- is a life of
moderation. Whatever
is extreme is bad.
CHANGE is necessary
for growth and
development of beings.

Aristotle insisted that

the human being is a composite of body and soul and that the
soul cannot be separated from the body. Aristotle’s philosophy
of self was constructed in terms of hylomorphism in which the
soul of a human being is the form or the structure of the human
body or the human matter, i.e., the functional organization in
virtue of which human beings are able to perform their
characteristic activities of life, including growth, nutrition,
reproduction, perception, imagination, desire, and thinking.

When interpreting human beings (as well as other living things)

as hylomorphic composites, Aristotle stressed the fundamental
role of matter in their constitution. With a reference to the
various functions of the soul he also insisted that there is a lot
more to being a human than merely intellectual activities. One
might be inclined to think that this attention to the material and
non-rational aspect of life would also mean Aristotle was more
interested than Plato in the uniquely individual and contingent
features in human life in his metaphysical psychology.
https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-1-4020-8596-
3_6.

1.4. The Theocentric Tradition (Avocado View)

1.4.1. St. Augustine :
To be human is to be
composite of body and
soul.
Man is ultimately meant to
be happy.
Happiness is the end of
every man.

Everlasting happiness.
What satisfies perfectly one’s craving for real happiness is his
union with God.
St. Augustine’s philosophy of man is fundamentally a
philosophy of love.
Love is the nature of his God;
Love is the way towards God;
Love is the measure of how he has to enjoy or simply exercise
his freedom.

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Love is his basis of living morally and fairly with others.

Augustine inherited the notion that philosophy is “love of wisdom”
(Confessiones 3.8; De civitate dei 8.1), i.e., an attempt to pursue
happiness—or, as late-antique thinkers, both pagan and Christian,
liked to put it, salvation—by seeking insight into the true nature of
things and living accordingly. This kind of philosophy he emphatically
endorses, especially in his early work (cf., e.g., Contra Academicos
1.1).Love is the last question he has to face at the end.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/augustine/#AuguPhil.
Augustine thinks that the human being is a compound of body and
soul and that, within this compound, the soul—conceived as both the
life-giving element and the center of consciousness, perception and
thought—is, or ought to be, the ruling part. The rational soul should
control the sensual desires and passions; it can become wise if it turns
to God, who is at the same time the Supreme Being and the Supreme
Good. https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/augustine/#SoulCreaBein.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to help

you further
*Otig, et. al (2018). A holistic approach in understanding the self. Malabon City: Mutya
Publishing House, Inc.

http://www.buddhanet.net/e-learning/8foldpath.htm.
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/buddha/.
https://revelpreview.pearson.com/epubs/pearson_chaffee/OPS/xhtml/ch03
_sec_10.xhtml
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/theories-
of-socialization/.

Let’s Check :
Activity 1. After learning about the different philosophical perspectives of
the self from the different philosophers from the oriental to the Greek
rationalist period let us now try to check your understanding of the topics
above. True or False. Write T if the statement is True and F if the
statement is False in the space provided.

______ 1. Plato believe in the philosophy of love.

______ 2. The oriental philosophers had the avocado view.
______ 3. Hindus believe in karma.
______ 4. Socrates believed that human beings is compose of body and
soul.
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______ 5. St. Augustine believe in the fundamental philosophy of love.

______6. Aristotle believe that the soul has three structure, the appetite,
reason and will.
______7. Buddhist follows the eight fold path in ife.
_____ 8. St. Augustine believed in everlasting happiness can be found in
union with God.
______ 9. Plato believed in the natural goodness of the human person.
______ 10. Buddhist believe in karma which means actions or doings
neither good or bad.

Let’s Analyze

Activity 1. We have read the different quotes of the great philosophers

about the self, do you agree with the quote of Plato, ”Knowing yourself is
the beginning of all wisdom”? if Yes or No explain.

In a Nutshell
Hinduism is unique in that it’s not a single religion but a compilation of many
traditions and philosophies. Buddhism have a very avocado like image of the
core self at the heart of the person which travels from life to life through the
process of reincarnation taking on new bodies but remains intact.
Plato is a dualist; there is both immaterial mind (soul) and material body, and
it is the soul that knows the forms. Plato believed the soul exists before birth
and after death. Aristotle in the other hand insisted that the human being is
a composite of body and soul and that the soul cannot be separated from
the body. Aristotle’s philosophy of self was constructed in terms of

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hylomorphism in which the soul of a human being is the form or the structure
of the human body or the human matter, i.e., the functional organization in
virtue of which human beings are able to perform their characteristic
activities of life, including growth, nutrition, reproduction, perception,
imagination, desire, and thinking.
St. Augustine’s philosophy of man is fundamentally a philosophy of love.
Similar to St. Augustine thinks that the human being is a compound of body
and soul and that, within this compound, the soul—conceived as both the
life-giving element and the center of consciousness, perception and
thought—is, or ought to be, the ruling part. The rational soul should control
the sensual desires and passions; it can become wise if it turns to God, who
is at the same time the Supreme Being and the Supreme Good.
With this, does all of them have the Avocado view of the self? Yes or No.
Why? ______________________________________________________
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Big Picture in Focus : ULOb. Explain how the self has been
represented across disciplines and perspectives

Metalanguage:
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Below are the essential terms that you are going to encouter in the pursuit of
ULOb.: Explain the different philosophical perspectives of the self. Please note
that you will also be required to refer to the previous definitions found in ULOa
section.

Philosophy – philosophy is from the greek word philo- (loving) and Sophia
(knowledge, wisdom). It means “loving knowledge”or “loving wisdom” or in
Greek it meant “the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake”.
Empiricism – According to David Hume, is the idea that the origin of all
knowledge is sense experience.
Transcend – Immanuel Kant’s view of the “self”is transcendental, which means
the “self”is related to a spiritual or nonphysical realm.
Soul – According to Socrates the state of your inner being determine the quality
of your life.
Mind – refers to the mental functioning
Body – refers to the physical self.

Essential Knowledge:

1. The Self in the Modern Period

1.1. Rene Descartes – He is considered the father
of modern Western philosophy. Descartes is often
regarded as the first thinker to emphasize the use of
reason to describe, predict, and understand natural
phenomena based on observational and empirical
evidence (Bertrand, 2004; Grosholz, 1991). Descartes
proposed that doubt was a principal tool of disciplined
inquiry. His method was called
hyperbolical/metaphysical doubt, also sometimes
referred to as methodical skepticism. It is a systematic
process of being skeptical about the truth of one’s beliefs in order
to determine which beliefs could be ascertained as true (Roger,
1994; Philosophy Glossary University of Houston). Rene
Descartes’famous line “Cogito ergo sum”translated as Ï think,
therefore I am” became a fundamental element of Western
philosophy as it secured the foundation for knowledge in the face
of radical doubt. He asserted that everything perceived by the
senses could not be used as proof of existence because human
senses could be fooled. He added that there was only one thing
we could be sure of in this world, and that was everything could
be doubted. In turn, by doubting his own existence, Descartes

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proved that there is a thinking entity that is doing the act of

doubting. Descartes’ distinction between the soul and the body:
The SOUL The BODY
It is conscious, thinking It is a material substance that
substance that is unaffected by changes through time.
time.
It is known only to itself(only It can be doubted; The public
you know your own mental can correct claims about the
event and others cannot correct body.
your mental states).
It is not made up of parts. It It is made up of physical,
views the entirety of itself with quantifiable, divisible parts.
no hidden or separate
compartments. It is both
conscious and aware of itself at
the same time.

1.2. John Locke – Locke believed that the “self”is identified with consciousness
and this “self”consists of sameness of consciousness. This is usually
interpreted to mean that the “self”consists of memory; that the person existing
now is the same person yesterday because he/she
remembers the thoughts, experiences, or actions of
the earlier self (Natsoulas, 1994; Fuchs, 2017). He
asserted that the state of the person who cannot
remember his/her behavior is the same as the state of
the person who never committed the act, which means
the person was ignorant. He’s famous quote, “Human
mind at birth is a tabula rasa (blank tablet), which
means that knowledge is derived from experiences.
1.3. Immanuel Kant - Immanuel Kant’s view of
the “self”is transcendental, which means the
“self”is related to a spiritual or nonphysical
realm. For him, the self is not in the body.
The self is outside the body, and it does not
have the qualities of the body. Despite being
transcendental, Kant stressed that the body
and its qualities are rooted to the “self”. He
proposed that it is knowledge that bridges the “self” and the material things
together (Boeree, 1999; Book, 2004).

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1.4. Sigmund Freud – Sigmund Freud’s* view of the self leads to an analogous
dualistic view of the self, though the contour3s
and content of his ideas are very different from
Kant’s. Freud is not, strictly speaking, a
philosopher, but his views on the nature of the self
have had a far-reaching impact on philosophical
thinking, as well as virtually every other discipline
in the humanities and social sciences. Naturally,
his most dominant influence has been in the fields
of psychology and psychoanalysis. Freud’s view of the self was multitiered,
divided among the conscious, preconscious, and unconscious. It is by no
means an exaggeration to assert that the concept of the unconscious forms
the central core in Freud’s theory of the structure and dynamics of the human
personality. And though the conscious self has an important role to play in our
lives, it is the unconscious self that holds the greatest fascination for Freud,
and which has the dominant influence in our personalities. Freud’s focus on
the unconscious self marks a significant departure from previous efforts in
philosophy to understand the nature of the self, and in so doing, it challenges
the traditional philosophical assumption that the self can be explored and
understood primarily through rational reflection and analysis.
1.4.1. According to Freud, these two levels of human functioning—the conscious
and the unconscious—differ radically both in their content and in the rules
and logic that govern them. The unconscious contains basic instinctual
drives including sexuality, aggressiveness, and self-destruction; traumatic
memories; unfulfilled wishes and childhood fantasies; thoughts and feelings
that would be considered socially taboo. The unconscious level is
characterized by the most primitive level of human motivation and human
functioning. At this level, the most basic instinctual drives seek immediate
gratification or discharge. Unheedful of the demands and restrictions of
reality, the naked impulses at this level are governed solely by the “pleasure
principle.”
1.4.2. Sigmund Freud - was an Austrian neurologist who founded the discipline of
psychoanalysis, a clinical method for treating psychopathology through
dialogue between a patient and a psychoanalyst. In his later work, Freud
proposed that the human psyche could be divided into three parts: Id, ego,
and super-ego. The id is the completely unconscious, impulsive, child-like
portion of the psyche that operates on the “pleasure principle” and is the
source of basic impulses and drives; it seeks immediate pleasure and
gratification. The ego acts according to the reality principle (i.e., it seeks to
please the id’s drive in realistic ways that will benefit in the long term rather
than bringing grief). Finally, the super-ego aims for perfection. It comprises
that organized part of the personality structure, mainly but not entirely
unconscious that includes the individual’s ego ideals, spiritual goals, and the
psychic agency that criticizes and prohibits his or her drives, fantasies,
feelings, and actions.

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Freud named his new theory the Oedipus complex after the famous Greek
tragedy Oedipus Rex by Sophocles. The Oedipus conflict was described
as a state of psychosexual development and awareness.
The id is the completely unconscious, impulsive, child-like portion of the
psyche that operates on the “pleasure principle” and is the source of basic
impulses and drives.
The ego acts according to the reality principle (i.e., it seeks to please the id’s
drive in realistic ways that will benefit in the long term rather than bringing
grief).
The super-ego aims for perfection. It comprises that organized part of the
personality structure. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-
sociology/chapter/theories-of-socialization/.

https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-
psychology/chapter/introduction-to-consciousness/
1.5. Gilbert Ryle – Ryle’s project consists in a sustained and punishing
bombardment of the cartesian conception of man, characteristically labelled
“the dogma of the ghost in the machine“. Ryle
is trying to find how far he could push
analytical behaviourism, the doctrine that
psychological notions can be analysed in
terms of actual or possible behaviour.
1.5.1. The concept of Mind,shows how
we can eliminate the misleading language
expressions in the broad sense (words,
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description, statements), that is to say the words that can make believe in
the existence of objects or ‘species’. It is the source of this great book that is
the Concept of Mind (1949). In this book, Ryle launches an attack against
the deep design “Cartesian” the relationship between mind and body and
particularly against the “ghost in the machine”, that is to say, the myth of the
inner mental life. It attacks the common treasure of the Cartesian tradition
and phenomenology, that of a “res cogitans” different from the empirical
world, a set of images, processes, mental events separate from the public
and observable behaviors. In an analysis of an extra-ordinary wealth, which
is in itself a lesson in method, Ryle shows that it is possible to dispense with
the language of men-tal life and translate the speech on the thin (mind) in
terms of Behavior (behavior). After this bold enterprise, which aims to defend
a less materialist thesis about the mind, as will the latest Australian
philosopher Armstrong, to remove a type of metaphorical language, lifelong
mental consciousness as intentionality Husserl is reduced to the capabilities,
abilities, opportunities, know-how. What is intelligence? Mysterious process
that takes place “in the head” or da ns avantque mind the student can not
find the solution? Ryle shows that we can do without the double horns in the
recital that “faculty” as simply an observable skills, which is a provision of
behavior as being able to swim. Everything else is pointless.
1.6. Paul Churchland - argues that a change in the way we describe ourselves is
not just possible but necessary. He
presents a stronger, broader argument
than Nisbett and Wilson do. Put bluntly,
he says, “Our common sense conception
of psychological phenomena constitutes
a radically false theory” (Churchland 67).
Humans have known since recorded
history of the close, intimate relationship between the mind and the body. The
health of our bodies, the things we ingest, the experiences we endure—all of
these dimensions of our physical self have a profound effect on our mental
and emotional functioning. Similarly, our emotional states, the way we think
about things, our levels of stress, the optimism (or pessimism) we feel—all of
these dimensions of our mental self have a dramatic impact on our physical
condition. As an example, just consider how the single word heart is used to
display this intimate connection between the emotional and the physical:
heartfelt, heartache, heartsick, heartened, large-hearted, heartless,
lighthearted, hard-hearted, faint-hearted, heartbroken.
Modern science is now able to use advanced equipment and sophisticated
techniques to unravel and articulate the complex web of connections that
binds consciousness and body together into an integrated self. In fact, one of
the most dynamic areas of scientific research currently is that devoted to
exploring the mind-brain relationship, and the information being developed is
fascinating. Scientists are increasingly able to correlate specific areas in the
brain with areas of mental functioning, both cognitively and emotionally.
Psychotropic drugs are being developed that can influence emotional states
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such as depression or extreme social anxiety. Brain scans can reveal physical
abnormalities that are related to personality disorders. And discoveries are
being made in the reverse direction as well, detailing the physical effects of
emotional states such as anxiety, depression, anger, pessimism, and
optimism on the health and well-being of the body. The assumption of this
approach is that to fully understand the nature of the mind we have to fully
understand the nature of the brain.
The impressive success of such scientific mind-brain research has
encouraged many to conclude that it is only a matter of time before the mental
life of consciousness is fully explainable in terms of the neurophysiology of the
brain. The ultimate goal of such explorations is to link the self—including all of
our thoughts, passions, personality traits—to the physical wiring and
physiological functioning of the brain. Although such thinkers recognize that
achieving such a goal will take time, they are confident that we will
progressively develop ways of describing the mind, consciousness, and
human experience that are physiologically based. The contemporary
philosopher Paul Churchland* articulates such a vision in the following essay.
He begins by acknowledging that a simple identity formula—mental states =
brain states—is a flawed way in which to conceptualize the relationship
between the mind and the brain. Instead, we need to develop a new,
neuroscience-based vocabulary that will enable us to think and communicate
clearly about the mind, consciousness, and human experience. He refers to
this view as eliminative materialism (Paul Churchland, from On Eliminative
Materialism).
https://revelpreview.pearson.com/epubs/pearson_chaffee/OPS/xhtml/ch03_s
ec_10.xhtml

Churchland’s central argument is that the concepts and theoretical

vocabulary we use to think about our selves—using such terms as belief,
desire, fear, sensation, pain, joy—actually misrepresent the reality of minds
and selves. All of these concepts are part of a commonsense “folk psychology”
that obscures rather than clarifies the nature of human experience. Eliminative
materialists believe that we need to develop a new vocabulary and conceptual
framework that is grounded in neuroscience and that will be a more accurate
reflection of the human mind and self. Churchland proceeds to state the
arguments that he believes support his position.
Churchland’s point is that the most compelling argument for developing a
new conceptual framework and vocabulary founded on neuroscience is the
simple fact that the current “folk psychology” has done a poor job in
accomplishing the main reason for its existence—explaining and predicting
the commonplace phenomena of the human mind and experience. And in the
same way that science replaces outmoded, ineffective, and limited conceptual
frameworks with ones that can explain and predict more effectively, so the
same thing needs to be done in psychology and philosophy of mind. This new
conceptual framework will be based on and will integrate all that we are
learning about how the brain works on a neurological level.
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Is the self the same as the brain? Materialists contend that in the final
analysis, mental states are identical with, reducible to, or explainable in terms
of physical brain states. What are the practical implications of such a view? If
you were convinced that materialists are correct, how would this influence the
way you see yourself and the choices you make?
Churchland’s ultimate concession that the psychology-based conceptual
framework currently used by most academic disciplines and popular culture
may not end up being completely eradicated and replaced by a neuroscience
framework still operates within his physicalist framework: for those “folk
psychology” terms not eliminated will nevertheless be reducible to
neurophysical statements of brain states.
Of course, there are many people who believe that there are fundamental
differences between the life of the mind and neuroscientific descriptions of the
brain’s operation. Many people believe that, no matter how exhaustively
scientists are able to describe the physical conditions for consciousness, this
does not mean that the mental dimensions of the self will ever be reducible to
these physical states. Why? Because in the final analysis, the physical and
mental dimensions of the self are qualitatively different realms, each with its
own distinctive vocabulary, logic, and organizing principles. According to this
view, even if scientists were able to map out your complete brain activity at the
moment you were having an original idea or experiencing an emotional
epiphany, that neurobiological description of your brain would provide no clue
as to the nature of your personal experience at that moment. Articulating and
communicating the rich texture of those experiences would take a very
different language and logic.
https://revelpreview.pearson.com/epubs/pearson_chaffee/OPS/xhtml/ch03_s
ec_10.xhtml
1.7. Merleau-Ponty - Maurice Merleau-
Ponty believed the physical body to
be an important part of what makes
up the subjective self. This concept
stands in contradiction to rationalism
and empiricism. Rationalism asserts
that reason and mental perception,
rather than physical senses and experience, are the basis of knowledge and
self.
1.8. Existentialist - John Locke - Self is that conscious thinking thing, (whatever
Substance made up of whether Spiritual or Material, Simple or Compounded,
it matters not) which is sensible or conscious of Pleasure and Pain, capable of
Happiness or Misery, and so is concerned for its self as far as that
consciousness extends. (II.27.17, N: 341)
His German prison camp experience convinced him of 2 things:
There was no God
Humans had the capacity to create their own human nature
Humans had the capacity to create their own human nature
We are not born with a fixed human nature, an essence to tell us what we
are and what we must become
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Existence precedes essence

Human nature is not provided it is earned
Freedom is absolute- freedom is a life sentence and we cannot say “ I
couldn’t help it” or “I have no choice”
Everything is within our control
1.9. Postmodernism - The Protean Self - Based on
Proteus the shape-shifter of the Greek
Mythology;
We are nothing but our layers (like an
artichoke, self is like many layers, each of
which is real and functional only at
particular times and particular
circumstances)
The world is unpredictable so we need a
whole collection of selves with which to
meet it.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to

help you further
*Otig, et. al (2018). A holistic approach in understanding the self. Malabon City: Mutya
Publishing House, Inc.

https://revelpreview.pearson.com/epubs/pearson_chaffee/OPS/xhtml/ch03
_sec_10.xhtml
https://courses.lumenlearning.com/boundless-sociology/chapter/theories-
of-socialization/.

Let’s Check :
Activity 1. After learning about the different modern philosophical
perspectives of the self from Rene Descartes to the Post-modern
perspective of neuroscience let us now try to check your understanding of
the topics above. True or False. Write T if the statement is True and F if the
statement is False in the space provided.

______ 1. Rene Descartes believed that knowledge comes from

experience.
______ 2. The author of the theory of Empericism is John Locke.
______ 3. David Hume had an Artichoke view of the self.
______ 4. Sigmund Freud believed that the human psyche have
personality structures.
______ 5. “I am the master of my own fate and the captain of my soul” is
the quote of John Locke.
______6. “Ï think, therefore I am” is the quote of Karl Marx.

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______7. Jean Paul Sarte had the artichoke view on human nature.
______ 8. Gilbert Ryle believed that our common sense conception of
psychological phenomena constitutes a radically false theory.
______ 9. Paul Churchland viewed that the “self” is related to a spiritual or
nonphysical realm.
______ 10. The “blank tablet” view of the mind is Jean Paul Sarte most
famous epistemological concept.

Let’s Analyze:

Activity 1. Remembering or getting acquinted with the essential

informations about the different perspectives of the self across disciplines is
not enough, you should also be able to classify and explain the difference
between each views about the self.

1. From the neuroscience perspective, is reasoning part of the function of the

brain or part of the soul? Explain why.
___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________________

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2. Base on Rene Descartes’ methodic doubt, is there something more

important than thinking? What is the importance of thinking in the acquisition
of self-knowledge?

____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Activity 2. Write your three (3) original quotes about the self and its meaning
in your journal. It should not come from any resources
(author/writers/philosophers) but yourself.

In a Nutshell
Activity 1. Philosophical Perspective of the Self - Philosophy begins in the
human’s experience of reality, being the most ancient of all intellectual
disciplines; philosophy is the mother of the human and natural sciences. As
the love of wisdom, Philosophy is more than just knowledge, seeking to open
its students’ minds to critically become aware of illusions, fraudulent claims,
and flawed reasoning.

Putting the Philosophers perspectives of the self into two classifications: the
Avocado and the Artichoke model, a metaphor of human nature. Wherein
the Avocado model reflects to the seed that at the center contains all the
essential information about what makes an avocado an avocado. And it goes
on and on. While the Artichoke model consists of spiny layer that can be
peeled off one after the other. When the last layer is removed there is nothing
left. The heart of the artichoke is its base yet it does not contain the essence
of the artichoke. The artichoke is nothing but its layers

The Oriental, Greek and Theocentric philosophers view the Avocado model.
While the existentialist and postmodern posted as the Artichoke model.

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With this, you are required to write a reflective essay on as a Filipino

millennial, how do you perceive yourself? Does your current self-resonate to
the avocado view or to the artichoke view? From your reflection you draw
your conclusion.

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Q & A List
Do you have any questions for clarification?
Questions Answers

BIG PICTURE
Week 3-4: Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO): At the end of the unit you are
expected to:

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a. Explain the sociological perspective of the self.

b. Explain the anthropological perspective of the self.

a. Big Picture in Focus : ULOa. Explain the

sociological perspective of the self.

Metalanguage:
For you to demonstrate the ULOa, you will need to have an operational
understanding of the following terms below. Frequently refer to these
definitions to help you understand the succeeding topics.

Sociological Perspective - The basic insight of sociology is that human

behavior is shaped by the groups to which people belong and by the social
interaction that takes place within those groups. We are who we are and we
behave the way we do because we happen to live in a particular society at
a particular point in space and time. People tend to accept their social world
unquestioningly, as something "natural." But the sociological perspective
enables us to see society as a temporary social product, created by human
beings and capable of being changed by them as well.
https://www.geneseo.edu/sociology/about.
Society - A large group of interacting people in a defined territory, sharing a
common culture.
https://sociologydictionary.org/society/#definition_of_society.
Social Groups - A social group consists of two or more people who regularly
interact on the basis of mutual expectations and who share a common
identity. https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/6-1-social-groups/.
Social Network - the totality of relationships that link us to other people and
groups and through them to still other people and groups. Some of these
relationships involve strong bonds, while other relationships involve weak
bonds (Granovetter, 1983).
Socialization - is the term sociologists use to describe the process by which
people learn their culture. Socialization occurs in societies big and small,
simple and complex, preindustrial and industrial.
https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/6-1-social-groups/.

Essential Knowledge

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1. Sociological Perspective -
The sociological perspective invites
us to look at our familiar
surroundings in a fresh way. It
encourages us to take a new look at
the world we have always taken for
granted, to examine our social
environment with the same curiosity
that we might bring to an exotic
foreign culture.
2. The basic insight of sociology is that human behavior is shaped by the groups
to which people belong and by the social interaction that takes place within those
groups. We are who we are and we behave the way we do because we happen
to live in a particular society at a particular point in space and time. People tend
to accept their social world unquestioningly, as something "natural." But the
sociological perspective enables us to see society as a temporary social
product, created by human beings and capable of being changed by them as
well.
The study of sociology leads us into areas of society that we might otherwise
have ignored or misunderstood. Since our world view is shaped by our personal
experience and since people with different social experiences have different
definitions of social reality, sociology helps us to appreciate viewpoints other
than our own and to understand how these viewpoints came into being.
Sociology also helps us understand ourselves better. Without the
sociological perspective (which has been called the "sociological
imagination"), people see the world through their limited experience of a
small orbit of family, friends, co-workers. The sociological imagination allows
us to stand apart mentally from our limited experience and see the link
between private concerns and social issues. It permits us to trace the
connection between the patterns and events of our own and the patterns and
events of our society. (Adapted from I. Robertson, Sociology, NY: Worth
Pub. 1981). https://www.geneseo.edu/sociology/about.
a. Social Group - A social group consists of two or more people who
regularly interact on the basis of mutual expectations and who share a
common identity. It is easy to see from this definition that we all belong
3to many types of social groups: our families, our different friendship
groups, the sociology class and other courses we attend, our workplaces,
the clubs and organizations to which we belong, and so forth. Except in
rare cases, it is difficult to imagine any of us living totally alone. Even
people who live by themselves still interact with family members,
coworkers, and friends and to this extent still have several group
memberships.
i. A primary group is usually small, is characterized by extensive
interaction and strong emotional ties, and endures over time.
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Members of such groups care a lot about each other and identify
strongly with the group. Indeed, their membership in a primary
group gives them much of their social identity. Ideally, our primary
groups give us emotional warmth and comfort in good times and
bad and provide us an identity and a strong sense of loyalty and
belonging. Our primary group memberships are thus important for
such things as our happiness and mental health.
ii. Secondary groups, which are groups that are larger and more
impersonal and exist, often for a relatively short time, to achieve a
specific purpose. Secondary group members feel less emotionally
attached to each other than do primary group members and do not
identify as much with their group nor feel as loyal to it.
b. A social network is the totality of relationships that link us to other
people and groups and through them to still other people and groups.
Our involvement in certain networks can bring certain advantages,
including better medical care if one’s network includes a physician or two
(Gavin Llewellyn – My social networks – CC BY 2.0.).

https://open.lib.umn.edu/sociology/chapter/6-1-social-groups/.

c. Socialization - refer to the lifelong process of inheriting and

disseminating norms, customs, and ideologies, providing an individual
with the skills and habits necessary for participating within his or her own
society. Socialization is the means by which human infants begin to
acquire the skills necessary to perform as a functioning member of their
society and is the most influential learning process one can experience.

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Group socialization is the theory that an individual’s peer groups,

rather than parental figures, influences his or her personality and
behavior in adulthood.
i. Charles Horton Cooley - The Looking-glass Self is a social
psychological concept, created by Charles Horton Cooley in 1902,
stating that a person’s self grows out of society’s interpersonal
interactions and the perceptions of others. The term refers to
people shaping themselves based on other people’s perception,
which leads people to reinforce other people’s perspectives on
themselves. People shape themselves based on what other
people perceive and confirm other people’s opinion on
themselves.
There are three main components of the looking-glass self:
First, we imagine how we must appear to others.
Second, we imagine the judgment of that appearance.
Finally, we develop our self through the judgments of
others.In hypothesizing the framework for the looking
glass self, Cooley said, “the mind is mental” because
“the human mind is social. ” In other words, the mind’s
mental ability is a direct result of human social
interaction. Beginning as children, humans begin to
define themselves within the context of their
socializations. The child learns that the symbol of
his/her crying will elicit a response from his/her parents,
not only when they are in need of necessities, such as
food, but also as a symbol to receive their attention.
George Herbert Mead described the self as “taking the
role of the other,” the premise for which the self is
actualized. Through interaction with others, we begin to
develop an identity about who we are, as well as
empathy for others.
ii. George Herbert Mead - described the
self as “taking the role of the other,” the
premise for which the self is actualized.
Through interaction with others, we
begin to develop an identity about who
we are, as well as empathy for others.
The two most important roots of Mead’s
work are the philosophy of pragmatism
and social behaviorism.
Pragmatism is a wide-ranging philosophical position that
states that people define the social and physical “objects”
they encounter in the world according to their use for them.
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One of his most influential ideas was the emergence of

mind and self from the communication process between
organisms, discussed in the book, Mind, Self and Society,
also known as social behaviorism.

Self-Help: You can also refer to the sources below to

help you further

*Otig, V. S. , Gallinero, W. B. , et. Al. (2018). A Holistic Approach in

Understanding the Self. Mutya Publishing House, Inc.
https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter3-
culture/

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