THE SELF:

PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVE
EXPLAIN
• The learning activities taught you to take time knowing yourself better
and deeper than anyone else. You may not always have the luxury of time
to examine yourself and connect it with your deepest thoughts. Most of
your time you always respond to the expectations of others, following
norms that are dictated by the society, and establishing things that are set
for you by your biological and socio – economic conditions.
• Although these are all normal and generally acceptable, these would
sometimes detach us from the core of our identity, the reason for our
individuality. A number of philosophers through the ages have conceived
ideas about the nature of the self. These philosophers include Socrates,
Plato, David Hume, Rene Descartes, and even St. Augustine of Hippo
among others who remarkably have provided unique views about the real
nature of the Self.
PROPONENTS OF THE PHILOSOPHICAL
PERSPECTIVE OF SELF.

• Socrates • Immanuel Kant

• Plato • Sigmund Freud
• St. Augustine of Hippo • Gilbert Ryle
• Rene Descartes • Paul Montgomery Churcland
• John Locke • Maurice Merleau Pontu
• David Hume
SOCRATES: “Know thyself”
 He was Classical Greek philosopher and pioneer in Western moral
philosophy.
 He introduces the Socratic Methods/ Dialectic: A method of seeking
truth througha series of questions and answers.
 His famous line is “Know thyself” which means that there should be a
dialogue between the self and the soul. One should accept that he
knows nothing and he knows and accepts that he knows nothing as this
leads to learning and discovering the truth.
 Socrates who was greatly known for his Socratic method stated that
“An unexamined life is not worth living.” One has to examined and
discuss about the self as this is a duty to achieve what is the greatest
good to life. It is the goal of Socratic perspective to better the quality
of human life through consistent self – examination.
 FAMOUS LINE OF SOCRATES

“KNOW THYSELF”
• An ancient greeting of the highly
• Greeting of the temple gods they enter the
holy sanctuary
• Knowing thyself requires self – moderation,
prudence, good judgment, and excellence of
the soul.(Ortiz de Landdazuri, 2014)
PLATO: The ideal Self, The perfect self
PLATO (428 – 347
BCAncient Greek Philosopher, a writer of
philosophical dialogue, founder of
Academy in Athens where Aristotle
studied, Plato have been a student of
Socrates. He wrote 41 dialogues, 13 letters
and a book of Definitions. His famous
concept of an ideal state (Utopian Society)
is incorporated in his book Republic. Plato
stated that the Psyche or the mind is the
core ofthe Self.
 The Three Elements of the Psyche or the
Mind

1. Appetitive element of the psyche- This involves pleasurable desires

such as those which provide physical satisfactions and psychological comforts.
2. Spirited element of the psyche
- It denotes the pat with in us that is agitated most of the time.
-It is highly spirited and motivated to surpass and conquer life challenges. It is the
area within us that enjoys triumph, honor, greatness and affirmation.
-It is excited when challenges or fights back when agitated (disturbed), or fight for
justice when unjust practices are evident. (hot blooded part of the psyche)
3. NOUS (Mind)
- It is the conscious awareness which thinks, meditates, weighs choices and
assesses situations in our lives.
- It is the most superior of all elements, the superpower that controls the
affairs of the self. It decides analyses, thinks ahead, proposes what is best
and rationally control both the appetitive and spirited element of the
psyche.
According to Plato, man was omniscient or all – knowing before he
came to be born into this world. With his separation from the paradise
of truth and knowledge and his long exile on earth, he forgot most of the
knowledge he had. However, by constant remembering through
contemplation and doing good, he can regain his former perfections.
Man who is now an exile on earth has a guiding star, a model, or a
divine exemplar which he must follow to reach and attain his destiny. In
practical terms, this means that man in this life should imitate his
former self; more specifically, he should live a life of virtue in which
true human perfection exists.
In order to have a good life one has to develop the Nous and fill it with
the understanding of the limits of the self, and the correct ethical
standards. Happiness, which is the fruit of virtue, is attained by
constant imitation of the divine exemplar of virtue, embodied in man’s
former perfect self.
 ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO
Love and Justice as the Foundation of the individual Self.

 He hailed from Tagaste, Africa in 354 BC. He succumbed

to vices and pleasures of the world He was unsettled and
restlessly search for the meaning of his life until his
conversion.
 He returned to his homeland and embraced an ascetic
(dull) life. He dedicated his Christian life to the pursuit of
contemplative (reflective) ideals. He practices extreme
self- denial and self – mortification (humility) later he was
elected as Bishop of Hippo. He fought bravely the errors
of his time through his sermons and many writings He
died in 430 and later was declared Doctor of the Church
TEACHINGS OF ST.AUGUSTINE
The two – fold process in the development of self which comprised of self
– presentation leading to self – realization.
Man’s end goal is happiness
Only in God can man attain true and eternal happiness, made possible in
hiscontemplation of the Truth and the Divine Wisdom (God Himself)
The relationship between the mind and body are essential in the
formation of aperson. However, he stressed on the superiority of the mind
over that of the body.
Understanding of oneself and the formation of identity is achieved
through theprocess of Introspection or Self – analysis.
Human beings alone, without God, are bound to fail.
RENE DESCARTES (1596 – 1650)
Rene Descartes is believed to be
the father of modern western
philosophy. He was a French
scientific thinker, mathematician
and philosopher.
Philosophy of Rene Descartes
1. Philosophy of Skepticism (Method of Doubt)
-Doubt is essential in achieving any conclusive truth. When man doubt he is
thinking, for doubting the starting point of thinking
-He claimed that we cannot really rely on our senses because our senses
perceptions can often deceived us. Everything must be subjected to doubt.
There will never be certain in this world as long as it passes our senses.
2. “I think therefore I am” or “I doubt therefore I exist. (Known for his principle
“Cogito ergo sum”)
- This is Descartes first theory of knowledge which laid the foundation in his concept of
self.
- The idea of being human brings about awareness of the self which may lead to the
development of a unique identity.
- Self – conscious is necessary to develop a personal identity.
- The essence of yourself makes you a “thinking thing”, engaged in all forms of mental
operations determinant of being a human with a distinct persona.
3. Human Rationality
- We need reason in order to evaluate our thoughts and actions.
- We need reason in order to exist and to continue to survive the
generations to come by protecting our environment.
- We need reason in order to build and live out our peace.
JOHN LOCKE (1632 – 1704)

He was a prominent thinker during the “age of

Reason”. He is an English philosopher and
physician. Remarkably Locke is considered the
“Father of Liberalism” as he had posited the
“Theory of mind” which is a breaking through in
the origin of modern understanding of the concept
of identity and the self.It was Locke who
developed the concept of “Tabula Rasa”.
Philosophy of John Locke
1. TABULA RASA
- We are born as blank slate / tablets and experience “writes upon us”
- Self is comparable to an empty space / blank tablet where every day
experiences contribute to the file of knowledge that is put forth on the
empty space / blank tablet.
2. EMPIRICISM: What we know is what we experience
EXPERIENCE is the source of all knowledge
↙️ ↘️
Primary Qualities: Secondary Qualities:
Numbers, Solidity, Figure, Motion etc. Color, Odor, Temperature, etc

- Sense Perception is the process of reflection and analysis of the sense

data/experience
- Sensation and reasons are two avenues to which this knowledge comes to us.
DAVID HUME (1711-1776)

He is the prime mover in western philosophy is a

Scottish philosopher from Edinburgh, known for his
insights on the psychological basis of human nature
where he posited that passion rather than reason
governs human behavior.
Hume on Personal Identity
He argues against the existence of innate ideas, posting that all human
knowledge is ultimately founded solely in experience.
He reiterated that reason is only the slave of passion which implies that
logic and intellect is basically superseded by an individual’s passion, drive
and motivation.
He perceived that experiences are derived from internal and external
stimulus and they create impressions on the individual.
The self and one’s mind is like a machine that can be turned on and off as
they are only active when one is conscious.
He asserts that what we call the “self” is really a bundle of impressions or
deception.
IMMANUEL KANT: Respect for Self
He was born in Prussia on April 22,
1724, at Kongsberg. He was a great
contributor in modern western
philosophy and died onFebruary 12,
1804.
 Kant’s Philosophy of Self
TRANSCENDENTIAL UNITY OF APPRECIATION
- Self is always transcendental. The self is not in the body, it is outside the body
and even outside the qualities of the body – meaning transcendent.
- Our rationality unifies and makes sense the perceptions we have in our
experiences and makes sensible ideas about ourselves and the world.
- Kant said that every person has an inner and outer self which comprises the
consciousness. The object of the inner self is the soul while the outer self is
directed to the body.
SIGMEUND FREUD: The Psychoanalysis Theory of Self
FATHER OF PSYCHOANALYSIS
Sigismund Schlomo Freud also known as
Sigmeund Freud (1856 – 1939) was a
neurologist from Austria. He established
psychoanalysis. This is a school of thought
revolving around the role of psychological
conflicts within the unconscious which is
relevant in the developmentof human behavior
as well as personality.
 GILBERT RYLE: “Concept of the Mind”
“Man not be degraded to a machine by beingdenied to be a ghost in a
machine”

• He was born in Brington, England. He was a British

philosopher, behaviorist who coined the phrase “the
Ghost in the Machine”.
• Ryle believed that mental phenomena are explained
by observing public behavior. Ryle, in his book
“The Concept of Mind” (1949) explained how the
mental states are inseparable from the physical
states. He stated that every human being has both a
physical body and a non – physical mind which are
ordinary “harness together” while we are alive.
PAUL MONTGOMERY CHURCHLAND
 He was from Vancouver, Canada. He is a modern – day
philisopher whose studies greatly focuses on the workings of the
brain.
 He urge that “nothing but matter exist” which is also known as
materialism.
 He hypothesized that the human consciousness can be explained
through the neural networks communicating through its
hub/center in the brain which is the thalamus.
 He believes that many are unaware of the appropriate terms do
determine the exact emotions and sentiment that they are
undertaking. Hence, this leads to confusion as to how we
understand ourselves.
 MAURICE MERLEAU PONTY: Phenomenology of Perception
“ The human being is a unified physical and mental beingwho creates meaning in the
world”

Maurice Merleau – Ponty (1908 –1961)

French phenomenological philosopher, strongly

influenced by Edmund Husserl and Martin
Heidegger. The constitution of meaning in
human experience was his main interest and he
wrote on perception, art, and politics.
He wrote the book Phenomenologie de la Perception in 1945. In this
book, he expounded his thesis on “The Primacy of Perception”
where he revealed how the body is central to one’s perception.
 In the primacy of perception he said that: there is harmony between
what we aim at and what is given, between intention and
performance.
He also claims that “Consciousness is primarily not a matter of “I
think that”, but of “I can”. Hence, it shows how action is required in
the formation of self- perception as well as self- concept.
PHENOMENOLOGY OF PERCEPTION

5 senses
1. Visual (Sight)
2. Auditory (Hearing)
3. Olfactory (Smell)
4. Taste
5. Touch
• THE HUMAN BEING IS A UNIFIED PHYSICAL AND MENTAL BEIN WHO CREATES
MEANING IN THE WORLD.
We sincerely appreciate your
attention today. And that brings
us to the end.