Philosophical Perspective of the Self Flashcards
Quote by Anaxagoras
The greatest ignorance is the ignorance of oneself.
What is the nature of human existence?
to seek answer as we are higher being than others.
Define Philosophy
Mother of all disciplines simply because of all fields of study began as philosophical discourses
Etymological definition of Philosophy
Love of Wisdom
Philos means
Love
Sophia means
Wisdom
Socrates said?
“Know thyself.”
Socrates Perspective?
A person can only have a meaning and happy life only if he becomes virtuous and knows the value of himself. Self is synonymous with the soul (essence of self).
What is Introspection?
A Socratic method that carefully examines one’s thoughts and emotions to gain self knowledge.
Socrates suggested that reality consist of 2 Dichotomous realms:
- Physical Realm
2. Ideal Realm
“An unexamined life is not worth living.”
Socrates
“The self is an immortal soul.”
Plato
Who is Plato?
Socrates’ prized student
3 part of soul/self according to Plato
- Reason
- Physical Appetite
- Spirit/Passion
Theory of Forms (Plato)
Concept of two worlds:
- World of Forms (Non- physical ideas; real and permanent)
- World of Sense (Reality; temporary, replica of ideal world)
“THE SOUL COULD EXIST INDEPENDENT OF THE BODY
BECAUSE IT ACTED INDEPENDENTLY WHEN
ENGAGED IN PURE THOUGHT”
Plato
Empericism
Justifiable or knowable only through experience. Greek: Empeiria
Rationalism
Concepts and knowledge are gained independently of sense experience
Dualism
Theory that the mental and physical- or mind and body or mind and brain- are, in some sense, radically different kind of thing
“Good is above god.”
Plato
Plato’s Cave
There’s more than knowledge that what we can see and hear (empirical evidence).
“The soul is the essence of self.”
Aristotle
Man as “rational animal.”
Aristotle
Anything with life has a soul.
Aristotle
3 Kinds of Soul
Vegetative, Sentient, Rational
“What is good for one man may not be good for another.”
Aristotle
Rational nature of the self according to Aristotle
To lead a good, flourishing and fulfilling life. The pursuit of happiness is search for good life that includes virtuous actions.
“I think, therefore I am.” (Cogito ergo sum)
Rene Descartes
Rene Descartes
Father of Modern Philosophy
2 Dimensions of Human Self according to Descartes
- Thinking Self (Soul)
2. Physical Body
No rational person will doubt his or her own existence.
Rene Descartes
The self is consciousness
John Locke
The self is constructed primarily from sense experience
John Locke
Keys to understanding the self by Locke
Conscious awareness, memory of previous experiences
The human mind at birth is “TABULA RASA”
Blank Slate
John Locke
what makes the IDENTITY of a person SIMILAR in DIFFERENT CIRCUMSTANCES.
Consciousness
Enables one to understand and achieve accurate conclusions
Reason and Introspection
A rationalist philosopher
Aristotle
An empiricist philosopher
John Locke
Mind is the seat of our consciousness all that we really are comes from the mind
Rene Descartes
The body is nothing but a part attached to the mind, while the mind is part of the unseen creation
Rene Descartes’ Concept of Dualism
Knowledge is innate in us.
Rene Descartes
“We construct the self.”
Immanuel Kant
Another rationalist philosopher that believes, “The self construct its own reality, actively creating a world that is familiar and predictable.”
Immanuel Kant
To see is to believe!”
Immanuel Kant
Our perspective or consciousness influences the way we see things.
TRANSCENDENTAL DEDUCTION OF
CATEGORIES
“There is no self.”
David Hume
An empiricist philosopher known for his lack of self theory
David Hume
everything that originates from our senses
Impression
faint images of thinking and reasoning based on impression
Ideas
Assertion that the property we can sense are only real parts of an object
Bundle Theory
“The idea of personal identity is a result of imagination.”
David Hume
“If there is no God, it is
important for man to invent
Him”
David Hume
“Man is inherently good at birth.”
Jean Jacques Rousseau
An evil society is the
culprit for man’s evil
deeds
Jean Jacques Rousseau
Man is not born evil at birth
Thomas Hobbes
Formal education is primordial to
every man in order to build good
character towards the attainment of
moral attitude and uprightness
Thomas Hobbes
Man is condemned to freedom.
Jean Paul Sartre
An atheist philosopher and existentialist.
Jean Paul Sartre
the self is a product of the freedom one
makes and the consequence of this exercise
Jean Paul Sartre
“I am doubting, therefore I am.”
St. Augustine
Fundamental concept of
human person in mission is to
discover the truth on the
existence of God
St. Augustine
The physical body is different from and
inferior to its immortal soul.
St. Augustine
He believes that the soul is what
governs and defines man.
St. Augustine
“Love of self should be above all human values.”
Ayn Rand
Act of selfishness is a moral act.
Ayn Rand
Strongly protested the negation of
self. The SELF above others should be a moral law.
Ayn Rand
