Self: The Philosophical Perspective

Flashcards covering major philosophical theories of the self from Plato to Freud, based on the provided notes.

What are the two natures of the human person according to Plato?

Body (mortal) and soul (immortal).

Name the three parts of the soul in Plato's view and their functions.

Rational soul—reason and intellect; Spirited soul—emotions; Appetitive soul—basic desires.

When are the three parts of the soul considered just and virtuous in Plato's framework?

When the three components are appropriately controlled.

What does Plato consider to be the driving force behind the body and source of identity?

The soul.

How does Aristotle define the self?

As an embodied soul, composed of both soul and body; the true self, universal within a species.

What accounts for differences between individuals in Aristotle's view?

Matter (accidental material properties) and life histories.

How does St. Augustine say one discovers the self?

By understanding God’s relation to us and recognizing God’s love; our heart finds rest in Him.

What is Augustine's goal for humans?

To serve the Lord God.

Descartes' methodological dictum and conclusion?

“One should only believe that which can pass the test of doubt” and the cogito: I think, therefore I am.

What makes you 'You' according to John Locke?

Your consciousness; you persist over time through memory.

What is the Memory Theory of personal identity?

Personal identity consists in memory; memory connects past experiences with present self.

David Hume's view of the self?

The self is an ever-changing bundle of impressions; it does not persist as a single entity; the self is an illusion.

Derek Parfit's position on the self over time?

There is no self over time due to change; but there is psychological connectedness that allows survival.

Immanuel Kant's view of the self?

There is a mind that organizes impressions; we are thinking beings; the self is an actively engaged intelligence that synthesizes knowledge and experience.

John Stuart Mill's view on the self and utilitarianism?

Utilitarianism: act to produce the greatest good for the greatest number; the self is other-regarding, not egoistic.

Sigmund Freud's structural model and its components?

Id — unconscious, pleasure principle; Ego — reality principle; Superego — morality principle.

Freud on the development of the self and mental health?

The self develops during childhood; mental health arises from a harmonious relationship among id, ego, and superego; repression can surface as defense to protect the ego.