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SCHOOL OF TEACHER EDUCATION

Instructional Module in Understanding the Self

Preliminaries
I. Lesson Number 1
II. Lesson Title Clearing the Space: Imaging the Self from Various
Perspectives
III. Brief Introduction The desire to understand the self hasn't left the restless
of the Lesson mind of the philosopher. Hence, here are the most important
philosophical views which will give you a historical background in
your search for self-understanding.
Let's find out how the philosophers in the early and
modern times identify themselves or explain themselves.
IV. Lesson Objectives At the end of this lesson, you will be able to:
a. Identify his/herself using a concept map.
b. discuss the different representations and
conceptualizations of self from different disciplinary
perspectives and philosophical views.
c. demonstrate critical and reflective thinking in analyzing
the development of one's self and identify by developing a
theory of self.

Lesson Proper
I. Getting Started
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Before we start, look at these images and answer the questions that follows:

QUESTIONS:
● How does a poor boy see life as he matures?

● How does a rich boy see life as he matures?

● If you will be poor/rich depending on your situation right now, will your perspective of
self and life change?

Discussion
---THE PHILOSOPHICAL CONSTRUCTION OF SELF---

There are many philosophical perspectives that deal with the understanding of the self.
Philosophy of man is a being or self and its ultimate reason for being. It is a comprehensive
study of truth. The word Philosophy is coined from the two Greek words Philos meaning
“love of” and Sophia meaning “wisdom”. This is also the search for truth.

The self is perhaps the most complex unit to study. Becoming the person, one cannot be
separated from the people's historical events, and social circumstances that surround her.
In this chapter, students will have to examine the building of self from various perspectives
to provide an appropriate context on how different factors influence the process. While one
may not be able to exactly explain why he/she thinks this way, or why one behave in that
manner, various perspectives across different disciplines is a good foundational knowledge
on the importance of one's perceptions towards one’s personal existence.

In the course of the ages, intellectual musings produced some of the most important original
ideas. Our contributions to all academic fields are invaluable. Many views may be more
common, others may be more unknown but the creation of civilization is based on the views
of our ancient thinkers.
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---The Philosophical View of Self---

● Socrates: Know Yourself

Socrates mainly deals with man. From the standpoint of his

inner life, he regards man. Socrates' famous line, "Know
Yourself," tells every man to shed light on his inner self. A poor
man by indifference is not virtuous; the man who does not follow
the good refuses to do so because he does not know it.
Some of the ideas of Socrates where the soul is immortal; the
purpose of philosophy is to care for the soul, and virtue is
sufficient to attain happiness.
Socrates believed that philosophy had a very important role to
play in people's lives. One of his most cited phrases is, Source:[Link]
"Unexamined life is not worth living". According to Socrates, socrates-quotes-achieve-peace/
self-knowledge or self-examination, as well as how one can live
one's life, are very important considerations.

● Plato: The “Perfect” World of Ideas

Plato had been a student of Socrates. He wrote the Socratic

Dialog, in which Socrates was the main character and the
speaker. Plato 's philosophical method was that he identified
himself as "collection and division" (Phaedrus, 265e; Smith,
2017)
The first comprehensive rationalist theory was put forth by
Plato, who distinguished two approaches to knowledge:
sense ‘perception and reason. Sense perception cannot be
adequate for possessing the truth because its objects are
subject to change and decay. Knowledge, on the other
hand, goes beyond the particular and grasps universal
ideas. To him, the temporal tangible world is fleeting, Source:
subject to deterioration, and therefore cannot be the real [Link]
source of knowledge. For an idea to be - true, it must be
unchanging and absolute - something that we cannot get from sense experience. Plato
ushered in the meaning-profound parallelism of “The Allegory of the Cave” to illustrate this
principle.

● Immanuel Kant: Respect for Self

In modern philosophy, Immanuel Kant is a key figure. For almost

every philosophical movement that followed him, his contributions to
metaphysics, epistemology, ethics and aesthetics had a profound
influence. The human mind establishes the framework of human
experience, among other concepts that Kant has suggested.
Source:https://
[Link]/
Kant doesn't see the self in the body. The self is outside the body
thedialogues/immanuel-
and it has no body property. Kant suggested that the "self and the kant-1724-1804-
f736bafe364d
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material objects" are associated with awareness. Each person has his own purpose and can
never be regarded as a resource.

● René Descartes: “I Think, therefore I am”

Rene Descartes was a French philosopher, mathematician, and

scientist; He is considered a father of modern Western
philosophy (Bertrand, 2004; Grosholz, 1991). He suggested that
doubt was a key tool for disciplined investigation. He was also
known by methodological skepticism as hyperbolical /
metaphysical skepticism. This is a systematic method of being
skeptical about the validity of one's beliefs to assess whether the
beliefs may be ascertained as valid (Roger, 1994; University of Source: [Link]
Houston Philosophy Glossary). [Link]/articles/thinkers-
[Link]

Descartes says that the self is a thoughtful entity that is different from the body. His first
famous theory was "Cognito, ergo sum," which means "I think so I am." Even though mind
and body are separate from each other and serve their own purpose, man must use his own
mind and reasoning skills to study, evaluate experiments and create his own self.

● John Locke: The Tabula Rasa

John Locke was a philosopher and physician, one of the

most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment. The Age of
Enlightenment or the Age of Reason was an intellectual
and philosophical movement that dominated ideas in
Europe in the 18th century.
He is one of the most prominent empiricists, believes that
the mind is like a blank slate, a tabula rasa, upon which Source:[Link]
symbols and texts and ciphers and words are later biography/John-Locke/An-Essay-
inscribed and written. The mind is the grand recipient to the Concerning-Human-Understanding
barrage of stimuli presented by the objective world. Locke explained in his Essay
Concerning Human Understanding.
Let us then suppose the mind to be, as we say, white paper, void of all characters, without
any idea; how comes it to be furnished? Whence comes it by that vast store, which the busy
and boundless fancy of man has painted on it with an almost endless variety? Whence has
it all materials of reason and knowledge? To this I answer, in one word, from EXPERIENCE;
in that all our knowledge is founded, and from that it ultimately derives itself.
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● David Hume: First “Impressions” Last

David Hume (1711-1776) was a Scottish philosopher,

economist, and historian in the Age of Enlightenment. He was
a fierce critic of Rationalism by Descartes.
Like Locke, David Hume holds that everything we believe is
ultimately traceable to experience. He begins with an account
of perceptions, because he believes that any intelligible
philosophical question must be asked and answered in those
terms. He uses perception to designate any mental content
Source:https://
whatsoever, and divides perceptions into two categories, [Link]/
impressions and ideas. Impressions include sensations as well biography/David-Hume
as desires, passions, and emotions. Ideas are the faint images
of these in thinking and reasoning. It is like distinguishing the feeling of pain from a present
sunburn and recalling last year’s sunburn. Impressions are clear and distinct, while ideas
are vague and hazy. Therefore, the further we are from the ultimate source of knowledge,
the more susceptible we become to error and uncertainty.

---The Christian or Biblical View of Self---

● The Holy Bible

“So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male
and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase
in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky
and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”
Genesis 1:27-28, NIV

According to the Holy Scriptures, man now participates in his everlasting riches after his
salvation from the eternal bondage by the Savior and is not only the heir of the new earth
but the heir of the heavenly kingdom. Thus, it is appropriate to think of the "self" as the
multi-talented crown of creation — the many gems of it that represent and radiate the
glorious facets of man's self, including the sensual and religious, aesthetic, moral,
sentiment, economic, social, intellectual, political, spiritual, rational, physical, emotional, and
sensual/sexual aspects.
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Assessment
Let’s test your Memory
Directions: Identify what is being asked in each statement below. Write your answers before
each number.
_______________________1. It is the factor which has sensual experiences like food,
drink and sex.
_______________________2. He claimed that man has no "clear and intelligible" idea of
himself.
_______________________3. It is an aspect which prevents the person from
experiencing the senses and should therefore rule over
the other parts of the soul by using reason which loves
truth.
_______________________4. His first famous theory was "Cognito, ergo sum," which
means "I think so I am."
_______________________5. He proposed that self-knowledge or self-examination as
well as how one can live one's life are very important
considerations.
_______________________6. He believed that personal identity is a question of
consistency in the psychology and personal identity is
based on consciousness and not on the soul or body
content.
_______________________7. He believed that there are three parts of the soul, namely,
appetitive, rational, and spirited.
_______________________8. It is the factor that is inclined to reason but understands
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the demands of passion.

_______________________9. He suggested that the self and the material objects are
associated with awareness and each person has his own
purpose and can never be regarded as a resource.
_______________________10.He is skeptical about the self's nature specifically about
whether there is a clear, coherent self that exists over
time.
Application

CRITERIA POINTS
Content 15
Originality 8
Creativity 7
30
Directions: Make a concept map showing the different components/aspects of the self.
Describe how you are in each component. You may use my sample concept map as guide
on how you can do it. Be more creative.

VI. References
Brawner, D.G. & Arcega, A.F. (2018). Understanding the Self. Quezon City, Philippines: C
& E Publishing, Inc.
Frando, Milagros F. & Isip, Lalaine A. (2022). Understanding the Self 2nd Edition.
Mandaluyong City, Philippines: Books Atbp. Publishing Corp.
Gutierrez-Ang, J. (2018). Understanding the Self. Manila, Philippines: Mindshapers Co., Inc.
Luna, Alden Reuben B. (2022). Understanding the Self. Intramuros, Manila: Unlimited books
Library Services & Publishing Inc.
Otig, V.S., Gallinero W.B., Bataga, N.U., Salado, F.B. & Visande, J.C.(2018) A Holistic
Approach in Understanding THE SELF. Malabon City, Philippines: Mutya Publishing
House Inc.
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Prepared by:

LYNNEL L. NIEGAS, LPT

Instructor

Reviewed by:

JOHN MARC R. MENDOZA, PhD, MLIS

Program Head, School of Teacher Education