The Self from

the Various
Perspectives
Lesson 1: Philosophy
Lesson 1: Philosophy
A. Socrates
B. Plato
C. St. Augustine
D. Descartes
E. John Locke
F. Hume
G. Kant
H. Freud
Philosophy
Socrates
Brief Background and Significant Events

• accused of disrespect for the city of gods

and corrupting the youth of Athens
• caused the youths to question all things
including many traditional beliefs
• a controversial figure in Athens
Image source: https://usf.edu
Philosophy
Socrates
“Socratic method of questioning”
- searching for meaning and truth
- abrasive in nature “Know thyself”

Philosophical statement:
- The unexamined life is considered as
not worth living
- humans must strive to seek their
purpose and value
Philosophy
Socrates
Definition of the Self
- “The self is an immortal soul which
exists over time”
- Self is the source of all knowledge
- Individual experience is important
- one must understand essence

Ex. It is not enough to identify something as

beautiful, one must know WHY it is beautiful
Philosophy
Socrates

View of Reality

1. Physical Realm – constantly changing,

transient and imperfect
2. Ideal Realm – unchanging, eternal, and
immortal
Philosophy
Plato
Brief Background and Significant Events
- The death of Socrates was a turning
point in the life of Plato
- Contributed original ideas on morality,
politics, metaphysics and epistemology

Image source: https://usf.edu

Philosophy
Plato
Definition of the Self
- “The self is an immortal soul which exists
“The three part self may
over time”
act in consonance or may
- THE THREE PART SOUL (The Three Part Self)
act in conflict with each
1 Reason other”
2 Physical Appetite
3 Spirit or Passion
Philosophy
Plato

1 Reason – think deeply, make choices,and

achieve true understanding
2 Physical Appetite – basic biological
needs
3 Spirit or Passion – basic emotions
“Genuine happiness can be
achieved when reason is in
control of spirits and
appetites.”
Philosophy
Plato
Chariot Analogy
- the soul is likened to a chariot drawn by
two powerful winged horses
Noble horse – spirit
Wild horse – appetite
Charioteer – reason; guides the chariot
controlling the two horses
Philosophy
St. Augustine
Brief Background and Significant Events
• Influenced by Plotinus (Roman Philosopher) based
his views on Plato’s core concepts
• “The soul possesses superiority over the body”
• Believes in imperfect physical body; in contrast to
the perfect eternal soul Image source:
• refused to celebrate his birthday in shame that his https://conservapedia.com

immortal soul is contained in imperfect vessel as

his body.
Philosophy
St. Augustine
Definition of the Self:
“The self is an immortal soul which exists over time”
Relationship of body and the soul
- Considers the body as a “slave” to the soul
- “The soul makes war with the body”
- “the body as the spouse of the soul”, attached to one
another by a natural appetite.
- Conclusion: “The body is united with the soul so that man
maybe entire and complete”.
Philosophy
St. Augustine
- To live a virtuous life is to live in love, all sins are the result
of turning away from love and God

- Plato’s vision of - St. Augustine’s vision

immortal souls to of immortal souls
achieve eternal realm striving to achieve union
through intellectual with God through faith
enlightenment and reason
Philosophy
St. Augustine

His vision is the start of the

medieval Christian
Doctrine and Western
Philosophy
Philosophy
Descartes

Brief Background and Significant Events

• Founder of Modern Philosophy

• He was a mathematician and a scientist
• He is a rationalist who emphasized that
thinking must follow a logical and rational
Image source: https://britannica.com
process
Philosophy
Descartes
Philosophical Statement: Cogito Ergo Sum
- this is the essence of your SELF
- believed that man is a thinking being “I think
- genuine knowledge must be based on therefore I am”
independent rational inquiry and real-world
experimentation
- Performing mental operations was essential to
being a human self.
- human must use their thinking abilities
Philosophy
Descartes
Definition of the Self:
“The self is a thinking thing, distinct from the body”

Dualistic View of the Self

The thinking self (or soul): The physical body is a

non material, immortal, material, mortal, non-
conscious being and thinking entity governed by
independent physical laws of nature.
Philosophy
Descartes
Rationalist View
- Reasoning ability provides the origin of knowledge

Rationalism - the view that reason is the primary

source of all knowledge and that only our reasoning
abilities can enable us to understand sense
experience and reach accurate conclusions.
 
Philosophy
John Locke
Brief Background and Significant Events
• His background as a physician influenced his
beliefs about the nature of the self

Definition of the Self:

Personal identity is made possible by self- Image source: https://oll.libertyfund.org
consciousness
Philosophy
John Locke
• Knowledge is based on the careful
observation of sense experience/ or
memories of previous experiences

• Reason is a vital element in making meaning

out of the sense experience of a person.
Philosophy
John Locke
Empiricist view
- all knowledge originates in our direct SENSE
EXPERIENCE
Empiricism- the view that sense experience is
the primary source of all knowledge and that
only a careful attention to sense experience can
enable us to understand the world and achieve
accurate conclusions
Philosophy
John Locke
LOCKE’S CONCLUSION ON EXAMINING ONE’S
EXPERIENCES: 
1. To discover personal identity, one must establish how
it is to be a person
2. A person is a thinking, reflecting and analyzing being
3. A person is the same thing in different times and
places
4. Consciousness is accompanied by thinking
5. Consciousness makes it possible to exhibit the same
identity in different times and places
Prepared by:

Mary Catherine Dela Cruz Rivera, MS Psych

Faculty – School of Teacher Education and
Liberal Arts
Gsuite Account:
cathyrivera@e.ubaguio.edu
Messenger Account: Cathy Dela Cruz Rivera