GE 101 – Understanding the Self BS CRIM1B - MT-7:30am-9:00am DEFTAC

Lecture 1: The Self from Various Perspective

What is philosophy?
 Comes from two Greek words philos which means “love” sophia which means “wisdom”. Thus, a philosopher is a “lover of wisdom”
 WISDOM connotes knowledge – knowledge directed to the fundamental and pervasive concerns of existence.
 WISDOM in philosophy is in how you help yourself think more clearly, precisely and systematically.
 It is the investigation of normal and fundamental issues concerning matters, for example, presence, information, values, reason, psyche
and dialect.

1. SOCRATES (470-399BC)
 Socrates is known as one of the most important philosophers in history. He is often described as the father of Western philosophy.
 Concerned with the problem of the self. His philosophy underlies in the importance of the notion “KNOWING ONESELF”
 pointed out that human choice was motivated by the desire for happiness – for him, man’s goal is to obtain happiness.
 Happiness motivates us to act towards or avoid things that could have negative effects in our lives.
 Thus, by fully knowing oneself, a person will be able to achieve happiness
 Possession of knowledge is a VIRTUE, Ignorance is DEPRAVITY
 “the unexamined life is not worth living”
 A person’s acceptance of ignorance is the beginning of acquisition of knowledge
 Knowing our self, lies in our abilities and wisdom
 Understanding ourselves through INTERNAL QUESTIONING OR INTROSPECTION
 Socratic Method – a method of inquiry by answering a question with a question to stimulate critical thinking and to draw out ideas and
underlying presumptions

2. PLATO (428-348BC)
 Student of Socrates
 He believed in the division of a person’s body and soul which forms a person aside from the material things and that could be observed &
associated with the person.
 He believed that the soul is divided into 3 different parts, that has different views leading to different behaviors.
o appetitive soul – the part of the person that is driven by desire and need to satisfy oneself – physical needs, pleasures (food,
drink, sleep, sexual needs, etc.)
o spirited soul – courageous part of the person. One who wants to do something or to right the wrongs that they observe. This is
very competitive and is very active. Competitiveness drives one to expect positive results and winning.
o rational soul – The drive of our lives. The part that thinks and plans. It decides what to do, when to do it and the possible results
one could have depending on their actions.

3. (ST.) AUGUSTINE
 A Saint and a Philosopher of the Church
 He followed the view of Plato but adds Christianity
 His idea of a man and how to understand who we are as a person is related to our understanding of who we are and how we question
ourselves – the more one doubts and question his life means that the person is actually living.
 Relates our existence to God being modelled in His likeness though being alive means that we are still far from God and has yet to be truly with
Him.
 Follows the idea that God encompasses us all, that everything will be better if we are with God.
 Everything is better if we devote ourselves mending our relationship with God.
 man is of a bifurcated nature
 part of man dwells in the world (imperfect) and yearns to be with the Divine
 other part is capable of reaching immortality
 body – dies on earth; soul – lives eternally in spiritual bliss with “God” (#lifegoal)

4. RENE DESCARTES (1596 -1650)

 Father of Modern Philosophy
 Believed in modern Dualism or the existence of body & mind
 human person = body + mind
 Known to be the proponent of “METHODICAL DOUBT” - there is so much that we should doubt – continuous process of questioning –
perceiving and accepting the facts that doubting and asking questions are part of one’s existence.
 MIND – thinks and questions or doubts what the body has experienced
 BODY – perceives from the different senses
 However, BODY and its perceptions cannot fully be trusted or can easily be deceived. Example:
 We should focus on the mind in order to perceive as who we are or the essence of our existence because we cannot always trust our senses
 “I think, therefore I am”
 the self = cogito (the thinking thing) + extenza (the unthinking thing)
 the body is a machine attached to the mind
 it’s the mind that makes the man
 “I am a thinking thing. . . A thing that doubts, understands, affirms, denies, wills, refuses, imagines, perceives.”

5. JOHN LOCKE (1632—1704)

 English Philosopher & Physician
 His work on the “SELF” is most represented by the concept “TABULA RASA” blank slate/clean slate
 SELF is the product of what we acquire through our experience of the world.
 Stated that the person is born with knowing nothing and that is susceptible to stimulation and accumulation of learning from experiences,
failures, references and observations of the person
 Experiences “WRITES” knowledge and understanding as the individual matures. Experiences are important in the establishment of who that
person can become.

6. DAVID HUME (1711—1776)

 Scottish Philosopher
 “the self is nothing but a bundle of impressions and ideas”
 Impression
- basic objects of our experience/sensation
- forms the core of our thoughts
  idea
- copies of impressions
- not as “real” as impressions - feeling mo lang yun!

 he doubted basic ideas of individual character; and contended that there is no lasting "self" that proceeds after some time.
 There is no permanent self because impressions of things are based from our experiences where we can create our ideas and knowledge.
Thus, it may improve or totally be replaced
 self = a collection of different perceptions which rapidly succeed each other
 self = in a perpetual flux and movement

7. SIGMUND FREUD
 Austrian Neurologist and the Father of Psychoanalysis
 He believed that man has different constructs of personality that interacts with each other
 used the analogy of an iceberg to describe the three levels of the mind.
 He believed that we are a by-product of our experiences in the past and that actions are driven by the idea of resisting or avoiding pain and
are molded from our need for pleasure.

3 LEVELS OF CONSCIOUSNESS

 CONSCIOUS – your current state of awareness.

 PRECONSCIOUS/SUBCONSCIOUS – all information that you are not currently aware of but can be recalled
 UNCONSCIOUS – always exist outside of your awareness.

3 ASPECTS OF PERSONALITY
ID – first part of the self to develop
o Seat of all our desires and wants
o Operates the Pleasure Principle – the idea that all your needs should be met immediately
o Wants instant gratification and does not care about morals or societal norms
o Unconscious collection of urges fighting to be fulfilled

EGO – functions in the Reality Principle

o It regulates how many of the Id’s urges are allowed to be expressed
o While ID is irrational, the EGO is able to decide what is right or wrong based on context.
o EGO can think, observe reality and decide what is rational and realistic. It is the one that allows our mind to act. It is the
mediator between the Id and superego

SUPEREGO – Functions on the Ideal Principle.

o It is the ethical component of the personality and provides the moral standards by which the ego operates.
o It the CONSCIENCE of one’s personality.
o Has the inclination to uphold justice and do what is morally right, socially acceptable actions.

FREE ASSOCIATION is a practice in psychoanalytic therapy.

 In this practice, a therapist asks a person in therapy to freely share thoughts, words, and anything else that comes to mind.
 The thoughts need not be coherent. But it may help if they are authentic.
 They may ask someone in therapy to recall all the memories associated with a particular event.
 A person in therapy could be asked to share the first word that comes to mind after seeing a picture or write down all the thoughts they
have at a certain time.
 The idea is that free association reveals associations and connections that might otherwise go uncovered. People in therapy may then
reveal repressed memories and emotions.

Prepared By: LCastro112819