SAS 1 PERSPECTIVE OF PHILOSOPHY

Socratic Method

a form of cooperative argumentative dialogue to stimulate critical thinking and illuminate ideas

Critical thinking

the ability to analyze, evaluate, and synthesize information to form reasoned judgements or decisions

Know thyself

the principle that self awareness and understanding are fundamental to personal growth and fulfillment

Harmonious Integration

The balanced development and coordination of various faculties such as reason, emotion, and perception

Self awareness

conscious knowledge of one’s own character, feeling, motives, and desires

Original Sin

The doctrine that all humans inherit a sinful nature as a result of adam and eve’s disobedience in christian theology

Divine Grace

The free and unmerited favor of God, believed to bring about spiritual renewal and salvation

Faith

Trust and belief in God’s promises and teachings, often considered essential for salvation and moral guidance

repentance

Sincere remorse or regret of past sins, often accompanied by a commitment to change one’s behavior

Socrates

• the father of western philosophy

• declared that “the unexamined life is not worth living”

• importance of self reflection and critical thinking in pursuit of truth and wisdom

• encouraged individuals to question their beliefs, values, and assumptions, challenging them to seek knowledge and self understanding through dialogue and inquiry

• KNOW THYSELF, knowing others is wisdom, knowing the self is enlightenment

• “self knowledge alone eradicates misery”

Plato

• believed that the self is composed in two parts (rational soul, and irrational appetite)

• rational soul’s pursuit of true and virtue

• irrational appetites leads to ignorance and moral corruption

• the soul apprehends the forms existing before birth and after death

• the soul rather than the body is the LOCUS OF TRUE KNOWLEDGE as it transcends the limitations to the sense

• divides the soul in 3 parts

• reason - you controlling

• appetite - urges

• will - emotion and spirit

• the metaphor chariot and charioteer

Aristotle

• believed that the self is a harmonious integration of various faculties, reason, emotion and perception

• eudaimonia - meaning flourishing, achieved through the balanced development of these faculties

• basically doing something good and right, it means the best version of yourself, developing good character, living in harmony with yourself

• the soul is the core essence of a living being, having a separate existence - an activity of the body

• humans have bodies for rational activity

St. Augustine

• integrated christian theology with philosophical inquiry to explore nature of the self

• he viewed the self as a flawed due to original sin, a consequence of adam and eve’s disobedience but capable of redemption through divine grace

• importance of faith, repentance, and adherance to dive commandments

• ongoing battle between the flesh and the spirit

• humanities inherit frailty and sinfulness balanced by the hope of divine forgiveness and redemption

Rene Descartes

• proposed a dualistic view of the self distinguishing the mind and body

• asserted “i think, therefore i am”

• the very fact that we are aware of our own thoughts proves that we exist

• the self is a thinking thing distinct from the body

• cogito ergo sum - as long as you’re thinking, you know you exist

• the mind and body are mentally independent and serve their own function