GE1 Lesson 1

UNDERSTANDING THE SELF

Authors:

  • Eden Joy Pastor Alata

  • Bernardo Nicolas Caslib, Jr.

  • Janice Patria Javier Serafica

  • R. A. Pawilen
    Published & Distributed by: REX Book Store
    Address: 856 Nicanor Reyes, Sr. St., 1977 C.M. Recto Avenue, Manila, Philippines
    Website: www.rexpublishing.com.ph

CONTENTS

  • Preface

  • Chapter I: Defining the Self: Personal and Developmental Perspectives on Self and Identity

    • Lesson 1: The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives

    • Lesson 2: The Self, Society, and Culture

    • Lesson 3: The Self as Cognitive Construct

    • Lesson 4: The Self in Western and Eastern Thoughts

  • Chapter II: Unpacking the Self

    • Lesson 1: The Physical and Sexual Self

    • Lesson 2: To Buy or Not to Buy? That Is the Question!

    • Lesson 3: Supernatural: Believe It or Not!

    • Lesson 4: The Political Self and Being Filipino

    • Lesson 5: Who Am I in the Cyberworld? (Digital Self)

  • Chapter III: Managing and Caring for the Self

    • Lesson 1: Learning To Be a Better Learner

    • Lesson 2: Do Not Just Dream, Make It Happen

    • Lesson 3: Less Stress, More Care

CHAPTER I

DEFINING THE SELF: PERSONAL AND DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVES ON SELF AND IDENTITY

Lesson 1: The Self from Various Philosophical Perspectives

Lesson Objectives

  1. Explain why it is essential to understand the self.

  2. Describe and discuss the different notions of the self from the perspectives of various philosophers across time and place.

  3. Compare and contrast how the self has been represented in different philosophical schools.

  4. Examine one's self against the different views of self discussed in class.

INTRODUCTION

  • Names and Identity:

    • As children, we learn to articulate our names, which represent who we are.

    • Names are not just random combinations but signify meaningful identities.

    • Death does not sever the bond between a person and their name.

  • Dynamic Nature of Self:

    • The self is not static; it is continually shaped and molded by experiences.

    • Individuals are tasked with discovering their selves.

ACTIVITY

  • Do You Truly Know Yourself?

    1. Characterize your self.

    2. Identify what makes you unique.

    3. Reflect on transformations in your self.

    4. Discuss the connection of your self to your body.

    5. Analyze the relation of your self to other selves.

    6. Contemplate what happens to your self after death.

ANALYSIS

  • Can One Truly Know the Self?

    • Reflect on the ease of answering the above questions and the challenges faced.

ABSTRACTION

  • Historical Context of Self in Philosophy:

    • Inquiry into the self preoccupies philosophers, particularly the ancient Greeks, who criticized myths to understand reality.

Major Philosophers

Socrates

  • Engaged in systematic questioning of the self.

  • The unexamined life is not worth living.

  • Focused on the dual nature of humans (body and soul).

Plato

  • Supported Socratic ideas, adding that humans have three components:

    1. Rational soul

    2. Spirited soul

    3. Appetitive soul

  • Justice in the human soul arises when these three parts function harmoniously.

Augustine

  • Incorporated Christian doctrine into philosophical thought, emphasizing the duality of body (mortal, imperfect) and soul (immortal, divine).

Thomas Aquinas

  • Adapted Aristotle's ideas claiming man is made of both matter and form, with the soul being the essence that differentiates humans from animals.

Descartes

  • Established the mind-body dualism, famously stating,

    • Cogito, ergo sum (I think, therefore I am).

Hume

  • Proposed that the self is a collection of perceptions and experiences, arguing against a coherent self.

Kant

  • Argued for the necessity of an organizing mind that synthesizes impressions into coherent self-knowledge.

Ryle

  • Denied the existence of an internal, non-physical self; focused on behavior as the source of understanding self.

Merleau-Ponty

  • Advocated for the intertwined nature of body and mind, asserting that all experiences are embodied.

APPLICATION AND ASSESSMENT

  • State the concept of