Philosophical Perspectives Flashcards by Athea Ordis

Who is this philosopher?

For him, “Every man is Dualistic, consisting of a Body and a Soul.”

Socrates

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

The mind is made up of a distinct substance other than the brain, a substance that thinks.

Mind-body Dualism

Note: This is from Socrates

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

For Socrates, there are two dichotomous realms. What are these?

Physical World - this is the imperfect and transient realm.
Eternal/Ideal Realm - this is the perfect, eternal, and immortal.

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

According to Socrates, _____ belongs to the physical realm as they change, they’re imperfect, and they die.

Human Bodies

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

According to Socrates, ____ belongs to the ideal realm since they are unchanging and immortal. It separates when the body leaves the face of the earth, hence establishing the belief that one can still be present even after death.

Souls

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Despite the connection that exists between the soul and body, they are significantly ________.

distinct things

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Socrates affirms that the unexamined life is not worth living. With this, he challenges everyone to question their presuppositions about the world and ____________.

know thyself

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Who said “All I know is that I know nothing.”?

Socrates

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Who is the philosopher that introduces this concept?

“Rational, spirited, and appetitive: Triad concepts of the Soul.”

Plato

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

Plato introduces the idea of a three-part soul which are:

Rational Soul (Reason)
Appetitive Soul (Physical Appetite)
Spirited Soul (Spirit or Passion)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

In three-part soul of Plato,

Our divine essence that enables us to think deeply, make wise choices, and achieve a true understanding of eternal truths.

Rational Soul (Reason)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

In three-part soul of Plato,

Our basic biological needs such as hunger, thirst, and sexual desire.

Appetitive Soul (Physical Appetite)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

In three-part soul of Plato,

Our basic emotions such as love, anger, ambition, aggressiveness, and empathy.

Spirited Soul (Spirit or Passion)

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

In the Triad Concepts of the Soul by Plato,

In the event of conflict, it is the duty of _________ to mediate and take control, restoring the harmony between the three elements.

Reason

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

In the Triad Concepts of the Soul by Plato,

The ultimate goal of harmonizing the three parts of the soul is achieving what?

Moral and Intellectual virtue

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

According to this Philosopher, “The self has an imperfect body and an immortal soul.”

Agustine

How well did you know this?

Not at all

Perfectly

St. Agustine agreed that man is dual-natured. That means the self is what?

Imperfect and immortal

Note:
Imperfect body and Immortal Soul

According to Agustine,

The ______ is an imperfect aspect of man, it dwells in the world and continuously yearns for the Divine.

body

According to Agustine,

The ______ is an immortal aspect of man, and is capable of reaching the Divine through communion.

soul

As per St. Agustine, the body needs these virtues (“ordered love”) while on Earth. What are these?

Prudence - ability to make the right judgement.
Justice - Obedience to God.
Courage - Fights irrational fears and desires.
Temperance - Self-control or regulation of appetites and emotions.

He is more concerned with our reasoning process and understanding its relation to the human self. For him, thinking is another attribute of the soul, and the soul (mind), is what makes us humans.

René Descartes

A keystone to René Descartes concept of self is?

Cogito, ergo sum which translates to “I think therefore I am”.

Who is this Philosopher?

He’s also a believer of mind-body Dualism where the mind can exist separately from the body and the idea that the “decay of the body does not imply the destruction of the soul.”

René Descartes

Who is the Philosopher that believes that “The self is consciousness.”

John Locke

For John Locke, our human mind is a _____________ at birth, that will be filled up with 'ideas' as one experiences the world.

**Tabula Rasa** or a *blank slate*

John Locke argues that conscious awareness and memory of previous experiences are the keys to understanding the self. This view is often referred to as what?

Empiricism

Who is the philosopher who believes that "There is no self." He argues that the self is not an entity over and beyond the physical body.

David Hume

According to David Hume, The self is nothing but a what? "The mind is a kind of theater, where several perceptions successively make their appearance, pass, repass, glide away, and mingle in an infinite variety of postures and situations."

bundle of impressions

If one tries to examine their experiences, Hume finds that they can all be categorized into two:

1. **Impressions** - are products of our direct experiences with the world. They form the core of our thoughts. 2. **Ideas** - are copies of impressions. They are not as lively and vivid as one's impressions.

Who is the philosopher who believes that "The self is multilayered."

Sigmund Freud

According to Sigmund Freud, the self consists of three layers which helps us question and seek answers about life. What are these?

1. **Conscious mind** - mental activities the one is *aware* of. 2. **Unconscious** - mental activities that are not currently active but stored in our memory. 3. **Preconscious** - mental activities that are not aware of regardless of time.

According to Sigmund Freud, the three layers of consciousness overlap with the three levels of awareness. What are these?

1. **Id** - The unconscious part that represents our *urges and desires*. 2. **Ego** - The conscious and rational part that *mediates the demands of the id and reality*. 3. **Superego** - The preconscious part that represents the internalized cultural and social norms that we have acquired over our lifetime.

Who is this Philosopher who believes that "The self is the way people behave." **"I act therefore I am."**

Gilbert Ryle

For Gilbert Ryle, there's no immortal soul or state of consciousness but the **Self is defined in terms of the behavior** that is presented to the world. It is also called what?

Behaviorism

Who is this Philosopher who believes that "The self is the brain"?

Paul Churchland

Rather than Dualism, Paul Churchland believes in _______ which is the belief that nothing but matter exists.

Materialism

According to Paul Churchland, all of us have a brain but if it is gone, there is _________. Our brain is not inseparable from our body.

No self at all Note: He said that the *physical brain provides the knowledge of the self* instead of the imaginary mind.

Who is the philosopher who believes that "The self is embodied subjectivity".

Maurice Merleau-Ponty

For Maurice Merleau-Ponty, the mind-body dualism concept is an invalid problem. To him, the ______ and _______ are two inseparable things because they are interwoven.

mind and body

Maurice Merleau-Ponty believed that the physical body is an important part of what makes up the _____. One's understanding of themselves and the world around us is shaped by our physical, sensory, and emotional experiences.

Subjective self