UNDERSTANDING THE SELF (PART I)

Self Care

• Self Care is equated with Self Love.

• Jesse Litapon is associated with this topic as part of his teachings on understanding oneself (Loofand Timmy.com).

LESSON 1: FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PHILOSOPHY

• Philosophy originated in Ancient Greece around 600 BCE, termed as 'love of wisdom'.

• It raised fundamental questions regarding the universe and humanity's role within it.

The Search for Knowledge

• Greek philosophers, particularly those from Miletus, pursued logical explanations for natural events rather than attributing them to supernatural forces like the gods (Price, 2000).

• This marks a shift towards scientific and cognitive understanding where they sought to explain phenomena through nature's laws.

Change and Permanence

• Philosophers aimed to explain the world’s changes and developed the idea of permanence (Pride, 2000).

• Instead of solely focusing on nature, they began examining human nature, morality, and life's philosophical questions, such as Who am I? Why am I here? What do I want? (Price, 2000).

SOCRATES

• Socrates (470-399 BCE) served as a mentor to Plato, and Plato mentored Aristotle, marking a vital transition in philosophical thought towards understanding human beings.

• Athens emerged as a hub for philosophical discussion characterized by debate and discussion among Sophists, the first educators in Western philosophy.

Method of Inquiry

• Socrates aimed to uncover fundamental truths about knowledge, justice, beauty, and goodness (Moore and Bruder, 2002).

• Practices mainly recorded through Plato’s dialogues reveal Socrates as an effective debater, whose ideas provoked controversy and ultimately led to his trial and death.

The Socratic Method

• The Socratic method, a dialectical approach, prioritizes asking questions over lecturing to assist individuals in approaching a deeper understanding.

• Socrates's belief, "the unexamined life is not worth living," underscores the significance of self-exploration and confronting personal misconceptions.

Views on Human Nature

• Socrates emphasized the soul as the true essence of self, arguing that understanding and virtue stem from inner goodness (Price, 2000).

• His technique encourages individuals to recognize their ignorance and continually seek knowledge (Moore and Bruder, 2002).

PLATO

• Born Aristocles (428-348 BCE) into an aristocratic family, Plato founded the academic institution known as The Academy.

• His contributions to metaphysics, especially the Theory of Forms, shaped ideas about reality.

Theory of Forms

• Plato asserted that Forms are the essence of reality, grasped only through intellect and not sensory experience.

• Characteristics of Forms include agelessness, unchanging nature, and indivisibility.

Dualism

• Plato's Dualism posits two realms:

  • Realm of Shadows: Perceived reality

  • Realm of Forms: True reality and knowledge.

Plato's View of Human Nature

• Using Socratic methods, Plato theorized that knowledge resides within the soul, which contains essential qualities reflecting the macrosome of the universe.

• He identified three components of the soul:

  • Reason: Rational thinking leading toward goodness.

  • Spirited: Non-rational drive for action.

  • Appetites: Irrational desires for bodily pleasures.

Allegory of the Cave

• Through the Allegory of the Cave, Plato illustrates that ignorance can trap humans, portraying knowledge as escaping into the sunlight to encounter true reality.

• This allegory represents the journey to understanding functional truth beyond mere shadows.

Theory of Love

• Plato viewed love as a motivating force for human ascent towards knowledge and truth, beginning from a feeling of inadequacy.

ST. AUGUSTINE OF HIPPO

• St. Augustine, a pivotal figure in Christian philosophy, transitioned Western thought from ancient Greek ideas to concerns about the relationship between God and humanity.

• He diverged from Plato's notion of goodness derived from knowledge to emphasize reliance on God for moral definitions.

Human Nature

• Saw God as the truth source and highlighted sin as a product of free will.

• Real happiness lies in loving God, the supreme virtue, facilitating proper love toward all else.

RENE DESCARTES

• Rene Descartes (1596-1650), often referred to as the "Father of Modern Philosophy", emphasized rationalism.

• He created the Cartesian method and proposed analytic geometry, advocating the separation of mind and body.

Mind-Body Dualism

• Descartes introduced key concepts about mankind’s intellectual capabilities, asserting cognition as proof of existence: "I think, therefore I am".

JOHN LOCKE

• John Locke (1632-1704) established that knowledge is derived from experience, likening the mind to a blank slate at birth.

• Concepts of identity were rooted in a combination of innate rights and societal dimensions that dictate behavior.

DAVID HUME

• David Hume (1711-1776), a proponent of empiricism, rejected the notion of the 'self' as an inherent idea, suggesting that sense impressions comprise the experience of self.

IMMANUEL KANT

• Kant contended the mind actively interprets experiences, combining rationalist and empiricist views to define knowledge as fitting human understanding to sensory data.

SIGMUND FREUD

• Freud (1856-1939) revealed human behavior's underlying psychological mechanisms, particularly through the lens of the unconscious mind and its influence on human actions.

Structures of the Mind

• He classified the mind into the Ego, Superego, and Id, addressing inherent conflicts in human instincts.

GILBERT RYLE

• Ryle’s philosophy critiques Cartesian dualism, emphasizing that free will integrates moral responsibility.

• Defined 'knowing-that' vs 'knowing-how' relating to practical competency versus mere intellectual acquisition.

PATRICIA AND PAUL CHURCHLAND

• Advocated that identity and behaviors are closely tied to neurological processes, tying self-concept to biological functions.

MAURICE MERLEAU-PONTY

• He placed perception at the center of understanding reality, viewing bodily existence as crucial to knowledge through sensory experiences.

LESSON 2: FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF SOCIOLOGY

• Sociology examines how social contexts shape people's thoughts, emotions, and actions.

GEORGE HERBERT MEAD

• Mead described social behaviorism to convey how the environment significantly influences human behavior, encapsulated in the concept of self-awareness shaped through social interactions.

Stages of Self Development

• Mead's framework elucidates the self's development through phases: Preparatory stage (imitation), Play stage (role-playing), and Game stage (cognitive understanding of others).

CHARLES HORTON COOLEY

• Cooley emphasized the role of social interaction in self-development, introducing the concept of the looking-glass self, where our self-image is shaped by how we perceive others think of us.

ERVING GOFFMAN

• His work on impression management outlines how individuals present themselves socially akin to theatrical performances, focusing on audience perception.

LESSON 3: THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF ANTHROPOLOGY

• Anthropology explores humanity's biological, cultural, and social dimensions, building an understanding of self through collective human experiences.

FOUR SUBFIELDS OF ANTHROPOLOGY

1. Archaeology

2. Biological Anthropology

3. Linguistic Anthropology

4. Cultural Anthropology

Cultural Determinism

• This theory suggests that culture significantly influences the individual’s views and behaviors, emphasizing both similarities and differences across cultures.

LESSON 4: THE SELF FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF PSYCHOLOGY

• Psychology focuses on understanding human behavior and consciousness, emphasizing both nature and nurture in shaping one's identity.

WILLIAM JAMES

• James defined the self through two parts: the ME self as the socially constructed aspects, and the I self as the recognizing individual.

MULTIPLE AND UNIFIED SELVES

• This theory posits various aspects of self that individuals may showcase in different circumstances, promoting the idea of a well-adjusted person incorporating diverse self-concepts into a cohesive whole.

TRUE AND FALSE SELVES

• Winnicott examined the dynamics between an individual’s authentic self and the constructed persona, asserting that both serve purposes in personal interactions and social contexts.

THE SELF AS PROACTIVE AND AGENTIC

• Bandura's Social Cognitive Theory asserts individuals as active agents capable of self-regulating and reflecting upon their behaviors in response to environmental stimuli.

LESSON 5: THE SELF IN WESTERN AND EASTERN THOUGHT

INDIVIDUALISTIC SELF

• Western philosophy emphasizes individual autonomy and self-agency, urging individuals to seek personal fulfillment and ownership of life choices.

COLLECTIVE SELF

• Eastern philosophies stress interconnectedness, where one's identity often hinges on familial and societal roles, prioritizing collective well-being over individual desires.

THE SELF IN CONFUCIAN THOUGHT

• Confucianism integrates individual purpose with societal harmony, advocating adherence to rituals and respect for family, embodying relational dynamics crucial to identity formation.