The Good True Self

Question 1

The Ship of Theseus Example

Answer 1

It asks the question: if you replace every part of a ship one by one until none of the original parts remain… will it be the same ship?

Question 2

Essentialism Defintion

Answer 2

Philosophical view that categories have an underlying true nature- an essence- that we can’t observe directly but that makes something what it is

Question 3

What does essentialism allow us to track?

Answer 3

Constancy amid change in the world

Question 4

Example of essentialism:

Answer 4

Baby to adult; solid to gas; the caterpillar to butterfly
Essentially the baby changes but maintains its identity and so do the other examples

Question 5

Alternatives to essentialism

Answer 5

Necessary and sufficient conditions
Lists of features

Question 6

The fundamental problem of understanding things, people, concepts, nearly anything

Answer 6

Reality has fuzzy boundraries

Question 7

Reasoning heursitic

Answer 7

To help people understand what features go together to make a thing what it is. Some features are essential, and others are incidental

Question 8

How do we solve the problems of categorization?

Answer 8

We make up a placeholder “essence” and ignore the objections

Question 9

Useful essentialism: innate potential

Answer 9

Essential properties are viewed as fixed at birth ( a newborn bunny goes to live with a monkey. Will it now want to ear carrots or bananas)

Question 10

Essentialism is bad opposite of innate potential

Answer 10

It leads to overgeneralization (nativist bias) ( a newborn baby from an English speaking family is adopted by a Spanish speaking family. What language will it speak?

Question 11

Useful essentialism: underlying structure

Answer 11

inner casual features matter more than appearances (paint a skunk to look like a cat and children will think it will stink)

Question 12

Consequences of psychological essentialism

Answer 12

authenticity: when people have essentialist views they believe that everything should fit a certain mold and conform to it. What is the essence of a “real artist,” individuals judge based on their preconceived notion (reinforces stereotyping, biases, conforming to something that they aren’t to gain approval)

Question 13

Diachronic identity

Answer 13

refers to the concept of an individual’s identity over time. It addresses the question of how a person remains the same person through various changes and experiences across their lifespan.

Question 14

What defines the self?

Answer 14

Memory, personality, the body, preferences, desire, social groups

Question 15

The brain transplant (Strohminger & Nichols, 2014)

Answer 15

Overview: Severe head injury leads to operation where right neural connections between old brain and replacement brain tissue have been made and test all physiological responses and determine if patient is alive and functioning
Biggest degree of identity change was morality (no longer capable of judging right from wrong, or being moved by the suffering of others) Than has amnesia, apathy, agnosia. Only thing that does not change is control (recipient thinks and acts the same way before accident)

Question 16

Self pill (Strohminger & Nichols, 2014)

Answer 16

Overview: Participants were asked to image that a pill that they swallowed would alter only one part of their mind without effecting anything else
Biggest percentage of change to self was morality followed with personality and desires

Question 17

Dementia (Stroghminger &Nichols, 2015)

Answer 17

ALS, Frontotemproal Dementia, and Alzheimer’s Disease all saw morality remains in aspects even as other cognitive function decline

Question 18

The true self is not only moral, but morally good

Answer 18

12 vignettes: people consistently judge the good versions as the true self
Example: father is now a caring and involved father or used to be a caring and involved father

Question 19

The good true self appears very general. Universal?

Answer 19

Appears true for
- children and adults
- independent and interdependent cultures (i.e., Singapore)
- among misanthropes
even toward enemies

Question 20

But why is the true self good?

Answer 20

• we don’t yet really know why we see teh true self as good
• one hypothesis is that because we need to see our own self as good, that informs how we understand all “selves”
• another is that we think of categories in terms of the ideal

Question 21

But why is the true self moral?

Answer 21

• the purpose of morality itself is to facilitate cooperation and reduce harm. So maybe the “why” question is backward
• we care about morality because it is important to group living. So that’s what we focus on most in others
• that’s why we manufacture the concept of a stable self at all: to have someone to hold responsible, to praise or blame or punish or reward

Question 22

GRQ: What is psychological essentialism, why is it useful, and how does it go wrong?

Answer 22

Definition:
- Psychological essentialism posits that individuals tend to believe that members of a category share a common, intrinsic property or essence that determines their identity and traits. For example, people might believe that there is a fundamental “essence” that defines what it means to be a “cat” or a “woman,” beyond just observable features.
- Attributes: This belief often involves the idea that:
- Categories are Natural: Categories like “gender,” “race,” or “species” are seen as having natural, immutable qualities.
Essence Determines Identity: The essence is believed to be crucial for maintaining the identity of the category. For example, in the context of species, the essence might be seen as what makes an animal a “cat” rather than just a collection of physical characteristics.

Why is it useful:
- Cognitive Efficiency: Essentialism simplifies complex information by allowing people to categorize and make sense of the world quickly. It helps people predict behaviors, make generalizations, and understand social categories without having to analyze every individual case in detail.
- Social Identity and Group Cohesion: Essentialist
beliefs can foster a sense of group identity and cohesion. By perceiving groups as having a common essence, individuals might feel a stronger connection to their own group and a clearer distinction from other groups.
- Consistency and Predictability: Essentialism provides a framework for consistency and predictability in social interactions. It supports the expectation that people from the same category will exhibit similar traits and behaviors, which can simplify social navigation.

How does it go wrong:
- Reinforcement of Stereotypes: Essentialist beliefs can reinforce and perpetuate stereotypes and biases. By attributing certain characteristics to an “essence,” essentialism can lead to oversimplification and rigid thinking about individuals based on their group membership (e.g., gender, race).
- Resistance to Change: Essentialism can contribute to a resistance to change or the denial of individual differences. For example, if people believe that gender differences are essential and immutable, they might be less open to recognizing the diversity of gender identities and experiences.
- Biological Determinism: Essentialist thinking can sometimes lead to biological determinism, where complex human traits and behaviors are reduced to simple, genetic explanations. This can ignore the role of social, environmental, and cultural factors in shaping individual and group characteristics.
- Misunderstanding of Variation: Essentialism can obscure the significant variation within categories. For instance, essentialist views on race or ethnicity may ignore the rich diversity within these groups, leading to a narrow and often inaccurate understanding of people’s experiences and identities.

Question 23

GRQ: In what sense is the true self “good”

Answer 23

• Philosophically: As an intrinsic aspect of one’s being that aligns with an ideal or divine essence.
• Virtuously: Through the development and expression of moral virtues.
• Psychologically: By living authentically and in accordance with one’s core values.
• Developmentally: As a reflection of advanced moral reasoning and ethical maturity.

Question 24

Why might people’s concept of the true self be moral?

Answer 24

• Authenticity: Psychological theories suggest that the true self is related to authenticity and personal integrity. When people live authentically, they act in ways that are consistent with their core values and beliefs, which often includes moral principles. Therefore:
• Self-Actualization: Humanistic psychologists like Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow argue that self-actualization involves realizing one’s true potential and living in a way that aligns with one’s values. Since these values often include ethical considerations, the true self is seen as moral.
• Moral Intuition: Some psychological theories posit that individuals have innate moral intuitions that guide their understanding of their true selves. These intuitions are often aligned with broader moral norms and values.