Understanding The Self GE 101 Prelim Notes

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering philosophical, sociological, anthropological, psychological, biological, and cultural aspects of the self based on GE 101 Prelim Notes.

Socrates' Concept of Self

Focuses on virtue and self-knowledge as the core of ethics, stating that knowing one's innate virtue allows an individual to gain self-possession and wisdom.

Plato's Ideal Self

The view that man was omniscient before being exiled to earth, and can regain former perfection by remembering truth through contemplation and doing good.

St. Augustine's Foundation of the Self

The belief that a virtuous life is driven by love for God and fellowmen, following the golden rule of justice: doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Cogito, Ergo Sum

Rene Descartes' dictum 'I think, therefore I am,' which asserts that the self is a thinking entity distinct from the physical body.

Personal Identity (Locke)

John Locke's concept of selfhood that evolves across a lifespan, shaped by both unchosen circumstances and chosen beliefs and behaviors.

Bundle Theory of Mind

David Hume's theory asserting that there is no simple, unified self, but rather a collection of rapidly succeeding perceptions.

Kant's Respect for Self

Immanuel Kant's view that human beings govern themselves and set their own ends, meaning no person should be used merely as a tool or instrument for another's goals.

Id

In Sigmund Freud's model, the part of the self driven by internal desires, divided into Eros (love) and Thanatos (death).

Ego

In Sigmund Freud's model, the realistic component of the self that balances internal desires with external reality.

Superego

In Sigmund Freud's model, the moral component of the self that operates as the conscience.

Structuration

A sociological perspective stating that human agency and social structures mutually influence each other, with repeated individual acts reproducing social expectations.

Pure Relationships

In late modernity, relationships formed between equals that are continuously negotiated and maintained solely for mutual emotional satisfaction.

Transformation of Intimacy

The shift in post-traditional society where relationships are consciously constructed and sustained for mutual emotional fulfillment rather than economic or symbolic convenience.

Heredity

The transmission of genetic traits and characteristics from parents to offspring, providing the raw biological potential of the individual.

Environment

The sum total of external forces, influences, and experiences a person undergoes from conception to old age.

Fertilization

The union of a male sex cell (spermatozoon) and a female sex cell (ovum) within the reproductive system.

Gonads

The reproductive organs that produce sex cells: testes in males and ovaries in females.

Zygote

The fertilized egg cell containing all hereditary potentials inherited from both parents.

Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)

The hereditary code located within genes containing the information and instructions that program inherited traits.

Maturation

The natural biological unfolding of inherent traits and potential in an individual.

Prenatal Period

The lifespan developmental stage lasting from conception to birth.

Infancy

The lifespan developmental stage lasting from birth to the end of the second week.

Babyhood

The lifespan developmental stage lasting from the end of the second week to the end of the second year.

Early Childhood

The lifespan developmental stage (preschool age) lasting from two to six years.

Late Childhood

The lifespan developmental stage (elementary age) lasting from six to ten or twelve years.

Puberty

The lifespan developmental stage (preadolescence) lasting from twelve to thirteen or fourteen years.

Senescence

The lifespan developmental stage of old age lasting from sixty years to death.

"I" Self

In psychological terms, the thinking self or ego that provides continuity across the past, present, and future.

"ME" Self

In psychological terms, the self as an object of knowledge in a given situation, divided into material, social, and spiritual aspects.

Real Self

The representation of who a person truly is, which is dynamic, changeable, and visible to others.

Ideal Self

The perception of how an individual wishes to be, derived from learned values and social standards.

True Self

An instinctual sense of self originating from spontaneous experiences that gives a feeling of being alive.

False Self

A defensive facade created for protection which is necessary to a degree but should not rule the individual's personality.

Attractiveness Halo Effect Theory

A cognitive bias where people attribute positive traits—such as social success, financial achievement, and higher intelligence—to attractive individuals prior to direct interaction.