LEC 1 (P2): The Philosophical Perspective (Part 2: St Augustine, Rene Descartes, John Locke, David Hume, Immanuel Kant)

St. Augustine

Philosopher believing the “Self has an Immortal Soul”

Self has an Immortal Soul

Quote summarizing St. Augustine’s perspective on the self

Soul > Body (soul is more superior than the body) & Soul <3 Body (soul is the spouse of the body since both are connected due to “natural appetite”)

2 relationships between the soul and body according to St. Augustine

Plato’s

St Augustine borrowed ___ idea of the self but integrated it into Christianity.

Image of God is Truth

Mnemonic to Remember 3 Main Parts of St Augustine’s Idea of the Self

Humankind is created in the image and likeness of God; the more we seek God, the more we understand ourselves; knowledge can only come by seeing the truth that dwells within us

3 Main Parts of St Augustine’s Idea of the Self

Rene Descartes

Philosopher believing “I think therefore I am (Cogito ergo sum)”

I think therefore I am (Cogito ergo sum)

Quote summarizing Descartes’ perspective on the self

Father of Modern Philosophy

Title for Rene Descartes

Separate entities since consciousness transcends the physical body

Descartes’ belief about the relationship between the body and mind

thinking about the self; self really exists

According to Descartes, the act of ___ ___ ___ ___ is enough proof that the ___ ___ ___

Thinking Self & Body

According to Descartes, 2 parts of the self

Thinking Self

According to Descartes, part of the self that is immortal, conscious being, independent of physical laws of the universe

Body

According to Descartes, part of the self that is material, mortal, non-thinking, governed by physical law

John Locke

English Philosopher believing “Self is consciousness”

Self is consciousness

Quote summarizing Locke’s perspective on the self

Tabular, sensory, memory

Way to Remember 3 Main Parts of Locke’s Perspective of the Self

Tabula rasa, self/personal identity is a product of sense experiences, our conscious awareness/rational mind and memory from previous experiences

3 Main Parts of Locke’s Perspective of the Self

blank slate/tabula rasa

According to Locke, the human mind at birth is a ___ ___/___ ___

sense experience

According to Locke, the self is the product of ___ ___

Conscious awareness and memory from previous experience

According to Locke, these two are the keys to understanding the self, making us into who we are

didn’t directly experience or encounter

According to Locke, people can use the power of reason to gain knowledge and knowledge can be used to understand experiences one ___ ___ ___ __ ____

David Hume

Scottish philosopher who believes “There is no self”

There is no self

Quote summarizing Hume’s perspective on the self

imagination

According to Hume, personal identity is just a result of ___

experience

According to Hume, ____ is a bundle/collection of different perceptions

Subjective reactions to certain experiences and our ideas/images of what unknown experiences feel like

According to Hume the self is based on these two things

2 Distinct Entities

Main Idea of Hume

Impression & Idea

According to Hume, what are the 2 Distinct Entities

Impression

According to Hume, one of the Distinct Entities that are basic sensations from experience (hate, love, joy); vivid, strong, and lively perceptions; individual reactions to direct experiences

Idea

According to Hume, one of the Distinct Entities that are thoughts and images from impressions; less lively and vivid; image we’ve procured in our mind about someone else’s impression

Immanuel Kant

German Philosopher stating “We Construct the Self.”

We Construct the Self.

Quote summarizing Kant’s perception of the self

Hume’s

Who’s belief on the self did Kant attempt to debunk?

Self is conscious and intelligent, constructed how we want

Way to Remember 5 Parts of Kant’s Belief About the Self

There is indeed a self; self is a thinking entity that makes up our consciousness; one is able to experience an intelligible world, a world that is objective and orderly; we construct our own reality: familiar, predictable, "mine"; world is shaped or perceived based on how we want it to be like

5 Parts of Kant’s Belief About the Self

Transcendental deduction

According to Kant, this enables one to to construct themself, which is opposite to the theories of Locke’s and Hume’s which believe that sensory experiences are separate entities from humans

Science categorizes construction

Way to Remember 3 Parts of Transcendental Deduction of Categories

Deduce the world through Scientific Investigation; Categories of mind filter, order, relate, synthesize sensations/experiences; We construct ourself by organizing and synthesizing all thoughts and perceptions

According to Kant, these are the 3 Parts of Transcendental Deduction of Categories