Overview
This lecture introduced the philosophical perspectives on the self, examining how different philosophers have attempted to answer the question "Who am I?" and the importance of self-understanding.
Course Orientation & Learning Outcomes
- The course explores philosophical, psychological, and social perspectives on understanding the self.
- By the end of the module, students should understand the importance of self-knowledge, recognize different views on human nature, assess philosophical arguments, and develop their own answer to "Who am I?"
Key Philosophical Questions
- Philosophy seeks answers to fundamental questions, including what the self is and whether it is mind, body, or both.
- Central questions: Are we souls, bodies, or just perceptions? Does the self persist after bodily death?
Socrates’ View
- Believed the soul exists before the body in a "realm of ideas" as an omniscient self.
- Ignorance comes from forgetting this knowledge upon entering the material world.
- Knowledge can be restored through the Socratic (dialectic) method: questioning to rediscover forgotten truths.
- Famous quote: "An unexamined life is not worth living."
Plato’s View
- Human beings are composed of body (material, changing) and soul (immortal, unchanging).
- The soul is the true self, located in the world of forms/ideas, while the body is a temporary prison.
- True knowledge is attained by contemplating with the soul.
St. Augustine’s View
- Influenced by Plato but introduced Christian concepts: the self is created in God’s image (imago Dei).
- The soul’s goal is union with God in the permanent world; happiness is found in God alone.
- Differentiates between the eternal world (with God) and the temporary material world.
René Descartes’ View
- Known for "I think, therefore I am" (cogito ergo sum).
- Mind and body are separate, but the mind is the essence of the self.
- Uncertainty about the body does not undermine the certainty of thinking existence.
John Locke’s View
- Self is based on consciousness and memory ("memory theory").
- Identity persists as long as one remembers past experiences.
David Hume’s View
- Empiricist: only what is sensed is real.
- The self is a bundle of perceptions that are always changing; there is no permanent, unchanging self.
Immanuel Kant’s View
- Reason is central; knowledge starts with senses, then understanding, then reasoning.
- Refutes Hume by arguing that rational beings can organize sensory data and construct a coherent self.
- Emphasizes free will and moral agency.
Sigmund Freud’s View
- Self is a combination of biological drives (id), social/cultural influences (superego), and the ego mediating between them.
- "The ego is not master in its own house"—self is influenced by unconscious and conscious factors.
Gilbert Ryle’s View
- Rejected mind-body dualism; mind is not a separate entity but seen through behavior.
- The self is known by observing behavior; mental concepts are problems of language.
Paul Churchland’s View
- The brain is the essence of the self ("eliminative materialism").
- Mental states are deeply affected by the physical state of the brain.
Maurice Merleau-Ponty’s View
- Self is defined by bodily experience and perception.
- Rejects mind/body separation; the self is subjective and rooted in lived experiences.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Soul — Immortal, unchanging essence of a person (Socrates, Plato, Augustine).
- Socratic Method — Question-and-answer dialogue to uncover knowledge.
- Memory Theory — Identity is based on remembered experiences (Locke).
- Empiricism — Knowledge comes from sensory experience (Hume, Locke).
- Eliminative Materialism — Only the brain exists; mind is unreal (Churchland).
- Cogito Ergo Sum — "I think, therefore I am" (Descartes).
- Id, Ego, Superego — Freud's model of the psyche: instinct, self, morality.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Review the philosophers’ perspectives and key terms discussed.
- Reflect on your own answer to "Who am I?" using the philosophical views.
- Prepare for further discussion on psychological and social perspectives of the self.